United fans - Would you rather City bought Erling Haaland or Lionel Messi this summer?

Mr.Kaya

Full Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2014
Messages
1,433
Location
Norway
Messi obviously, he's already past his prime and most likely only got a couple years left on top level, while Haaland has just started and will score plenty of goals for the next 10 years or so.
 

KwokSF

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 14, 2020
Messages
76
Either one will be devastating as both adds much needed clinical finishing in their forward department.

Aguero is often injured and declining. Jesus isn't clinical enough although workrate is fantastic. Stirling is not a natural finisher but he gets in alot of good positions. Messi or Haaland will be fantastic in their current squad.
 

jem

Full Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
9,248
Location
Toronto
Messi , though to have arguably the greatest player ever associated with City is uncomfortable.
I don’t know, I see shades of Willie Mays/O.J. Simpson (the washed up player, not the murderer) in Messi going to City. Haaland going there would be awful for us.
 

SER19

Full Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2008
Messages
12,461
Messi but they may well do both. Might even add sancho in there
 

SAFMUTD

New Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2018
Messages
11,787
Messi all the way, theyre clear favorites anyway so adding Messi will just mean they'll have a greater chance for the UCL for the next 2 years.

Adding Haaland would mean they'll had a worldclass striker for the next 10 years potentially.
 

gibers

Full Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2017
Messages
1,065
Location
UK
Messi. Arguably the laziest player in history. All the pressing City do will be down the drain when Messi is there :lol: He covers less ground than the GK!

With Haaland you have a player that is almost as lethal in front of goal for at least 5+ years and will not have more power than the manager.
 

Infra-red

Full Member
Joined
May 4, 2010
Messages
13,382
Location
left wing
I think Haaland will end up at Liverpool or Real Madrid.

Messi to City this summer seems like a safe bet, though.
 

Tallis

Full Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2020
Messages
982
In who's head would this even be a debate?

Would you rather our rivals signed a player on the way out...

Or a player who is gonna be hot property for the next dozen seasons?

Personally, I hope they DO sign Messi. Sounds like a terrible signing to me... His appearance in that dressing room will not improve that team at all, and in fact has the potential to screw all of their hard work up seeing as he'd be on at least double the wages of their current highest paid players...

I can't imagine Pep wanting Messi at all... Be shocked if he did sign him.
I agree with you that there is a possibility that signing up Messi may prove to be a bad move due to its impact in their dressing room and for financial reasons.

Having said that, if there is someone who can get the best out of Messi, that is probably Pep.
 

Carl

has permanently erect nipples
Joined
Mar 6, 2008
Messages
45,324
City look like they are going to win the league comfortably. They have a very strong squad already.

Just say that they are definitely going to sign Haaland or Messi.
Which would you prefer they got?

I'd rather they sign Messi as I think he seems to be on the decline whereas Haaland is very much on the rise.

However, it is taking a risk of them winning everything around them for the coming years.

Who would ye choose?
Messi without question.
 

golden_blunder

Site admin. Manchester United fan
Staff
Joined
Jun 1, 2000
Messages
119,267
Location
Dublin, Ireland
As a City fan we;'re not going for Messi. It's media bollocks.

Headlines the very next day would be "Pep can only win the CL with Messi" - Pep isnt going to allow that.
The board pander to Pep.
The costs (For a 33yr old) would be ott
That money wouldnt then be spent on the future players such as Mbappe/Halland/youthful players
City would become a media circus and Pep doesnt like that imo
Messi ending his career for money doesnt add up - He's got enough, it would be a personal fulfillment sort of club he'd want
The squad at City is harmonious, everyone earns ruoghly the same and there are no prima-donnas
We rejected Sanchez for precisely those reasons of squad harmony


I really hope we break the bank and go for Halland what with his dad already having played for City etc. I can dream
As someone who supports the team his dad played for you'd think that you would learn to spell his name correctly.

i bet you were on the YaYa Toure birthday committee
 

FrankDrebin

Don't call me Shirley
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Messages
19,794
Location
Police Squad
Supports
USA Manchester Red Socks
I cant see Haaland at Madrid but someone like Mbappe has the Los Blancos written all over him.
 

GoldTrafford99

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
Messages
296
I think Haaland will end up at Liverpool or Real Madrid.

Messi to City this summer seems like a safe bet, though.

I am no Liverpool hater. I applaud the work done under Klopp..

But Liverpool are not in the market for the elite...Whatever about them affording a multi-million transfer fee, they wouldn't in a million years have the kinda money to pay the contract Haaland will get for his next move. He is not going to Liverpool... same reason Mpabbe wouldn't go to Liverpool even though he seems like their perfect Klopp No.9...

Liverpool's owners are not playing in the top bracket of the transfer market. On top of that, they seem the most scared by COVID. I thought their transfer dealings after winning the title last summer were hugely disappointing... and given the fact they clearly needed a CB in January and ended up buying to players for little lay out who seem well out of their debt tells us Mr Henry isn't parting with big bucks.
 
Last edited:

DoneDaDa

Full Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2019
Messages
619
Location
Canada
Supports
Toronto FC
Am I the only one who thinks Pep and Haaland don’t fit together? Pep loves his robotic type players were as Haaland is more explosive and I believe that aspect of his game would get curb which makes him so exciting. Jesus is a good example while not bad I feel his true potential is kinda held back due to this.
 

FrankDrebin

Don't call me Shirley
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Messages
19,794
Location
Police Squad
Supports
USA Manchester Red Socks
I think Pep is alot more varied than people/fans give him credit for.
Plus, at the moment he's got City heavily relying on a attacking midfielder in Gundogan (no different from us with Bruno) to get them the goals mainly because their lead man, Aguero, continues to be out , with him likely being moved on in the summer.

Also if the early rumours were true that City were looking at Lukaku, a classic number 9, then I think its safe to say Pep is open to mixing his style up abit.

With City's midfield and wingers on the books then most strikers, especially the Haaland type, would be in absolute heaven. Arguably not to dissimilar to United when we signed RVN all those years back.

So with the new rumours that Haaland could possibly be on the market this year ,then I can see City making a big move for him.
 
Last edited:

Carl

has permanently erect nipples
Joined
Mar 6, 2008
Messages
45,324
Nah, Mbappe suits Madrid more if they can get him. Although I can see Mbappe moving there for free once his PSG contract is up.
Yeh, think Mbappe would cost way too much even for Madrid. Haaland very attainable, even this Summer.
 

KwokSF

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 14, 2020
Messages
76
I am no Liverpool hater. I applaud the work done under Klopp..

But Liverpool are not in the market for the elite...Whatever about them affording a multi-million transfer fee, they wouldn't in a million years have the kinda money to pay the contract Haaland will get for his next move. He is not going to Liverpool... same reason Mpabbe wouldn't go to Liverpool even though he seems like their perfect Klopp No.9...

Liverpool's owners are not playing in the top bracket of the transfer market. On top of that, they seem the most scared by COVID. I thought their transfer dealings after winning the title last summer were hugely disappointing... and given the fact they clearly needed a CB in January and ended up buying to players for little lay out who seem well out of their debt tells us Mr Henry isn't parting with big bucks.
This Liverpool not able to afford stuff needs to go away. As much as I hate them, they belong in the discussions. They have splashed out in the past when they have clearly marked out a player that they really like and sure will propel them higher. VVD and Allison both cost world record fees for CB and GK.

As for what kind of wages Haaland will demand, no one knows for sure at the moment. He may feel he is young enough and dun mind settling for a less than exorbitant fee to play under klopp. He can still go for world record transfer for his next contract especially when effects of covid on the market is finally over.
 

SinNombre

Full Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2019
Messages
2,626
Can you destroy a wage bill that's indestructable? No matter the public figures, he'll be getting plenty more under the table anyway, just like everyone else in that squad.
Exactly this.

They will come up with a public figure of 300k/week and pay him half a billion under the table.
 

harms

Shining Star of Paektu Mountain
Staff
Joined
Apr 8, 2014
Messages
27,906
Location
Moscow
Messi. He’s still a better player, but he’s declining at a surprisingly fast rate and his lack of workrate & general movement will cause them some issues. You can’t bench Messi, but they’ll become a much less balanced team with him there (even though it’s possible that his individual talent would still make them better than they were before his signing... just not as much as you’d expect from arguably the GOAT). He’s also going to come on an insane salary and it’s hard to predict how long he’ll want to play for. I don’t think that they’ll sign him though.

Haaland is a scary prospect — and his off-the-ball game is probably his biggest strength at the moment, Pep will make him insanely good given a chance.
 

SinNombre

Full Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2019
Messages
2,626
Messi's wages should not be part of the discussion. City will pay him under the table, and there will be no leaks or any impact on FFP.
 

GoldTrafford99

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
Messages
296
This Liverpool not able to afford stuff needs to go away. As much as I hate them, they belong in the discussions. They have splashed out in the past when they have clearly marked out a player that they really like and sure will propel them higher. VVD and Allison both cost world record fees for CB and GK.

As for what kind of wages Haaland will demand, no one knows for sure at the moment. He may feel he is young enough and dun mind settling for a less than exorbitant fee to play under klopp. He can still go for world record transfer for his next contract especially when effects of covid on the market is finally over.
Sorry... he'll sign for Liverpool for less money?

This guy is going to demand and get a quarter of a mill a year. Every club wants him.

Liverpool are not in the reckoning.

If I was a betting man, I think he'll end up at United.
 

Harry190

Bobby ten Hag
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
7,600
Location
Canada
One is a problem for the next 3 years at most, the other is a problem for the next 10 years. Easy pick that.
 

GoldTrafford99

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
Messages
296
They paid £75m for Van Dijk, which is more than Haaland's reported release clause for 2022. They will be fund his transfer, if they want to.

Transfer fee is only half the deal.. and the easiest part to be fair to negotiate.

Can you see Liverpool paying Haaland the quarter of a million a week he is bound to get for his next contract, and 60million in his pocket alone over a five year contract?

Not a chance.
 

copen1945

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 20, 2020
Messages
746
Messi and a striker seem to be separate issues. Messi is for long term marketing, especially in US. A striker option is if Guardiola wants to repeat the Lewandowski experiment. He actually adapted his tactics for the counter attack and counter pressing prevalent in the German league. He played similar to the current Liverpool tactics, attacking the space between CB and FB as quickly as possible with Alonso launching passes. If both come in, then the squad harmony could be affected.
 

Eire Red United

New Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2016
Messages
2,723
Location
Ireland
They paid £75m for Van Dijk, which is more than Haaland's reported release clause for 2022. They will be fund his transfer, if they want to.
They had to clean Barca for Couthino to fund that.
Unless they sell Van Dijk, Salah or Mane for stupid money they wont be buying Haaland. That’s before considering wages which would probably be as much as their current front 3 combined, plus agent fees, plus the wheels have come off Klopp now- us, City, Bayern or Spain are all more attractive.
 

Ecstatic

Cutie patootie!
Joined
Nov 26, 2015
Messages
13,787
Supports
PsG
One is a problem for the next 3 years at most, the other is a problem for the next 10 years. Easy pick that.
One is more likely to be injured given the age and local refereeing, the other will make defenders injured
 

ThierryHenry14

Full Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2015
Messages
4,030
Supports
Arsenal
Messi this summer and haaland 2022. Unless bvb fail to qualify for CL there is no reason for haaland to leave this summer. Next summer Team Haaland can pocket huge signing fee due to the low release clause.
 

teteus

New Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2021
Messages
176
Supports
Flamengo
Messi. Arguably the laziest player in history. All the pressing City do will be down the drain when Messi is there :lol: He covers less ground than the GK!

With Haaland you have a player that is almost as lethal in front of goal for at least 5+ years and will not have more power than the manager.
Messi runs little now. When he was younger, he had amazing workrate off-the-ball