The transfer window: Manchester City would throw in the towel for Lionel Messi

City would forget Messi because ...

The football world was in shock last summer when they learned of Lionel Messi's departure ambitions, unhappy with the sporting crisis at FC Barcelona.

After long weeks of uncertainty, the Argentine striker finally stayed in Catalonia, where he is under contract until next June.

The rumors did not deflate so far, and Manchester City were heralded as Messi's most likely stumbling block from the start, for various reasons.

But according to the latest information from

, the English club abandoned the track leading to the six-fold Ballon d'Or.

The journalist Samra Hunter, who quotes a source "close to the file", gives two reasons which would make the Citizens abdicate: the age of Lionel Messi, who will celebrate his 34 years on June 24, and his colossal salary, whose total cost would reach 100 million euros annually.

Manchester City would not be ready to sacrifice part of their workforce to make room for Messi, whose level posted this season is below his usual standards.

Messi's best goals with Barça youth teams

Inter confirm, Eriksen wants to leave

Flagship rookie of Inter Milan in the last winter transfer window, Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen does not win under the orders of Antonio Conte.

“The choices I make are always for the good of the team and not for the good of a single player,” recently defended the coach in the columns of

.

After a victory of the Nerazzurri against Torino Sunday (4-2) during which Eriksen remained on the bench, President Beppe Marotta was transparent at the microphone of

, in remarks relayed by the

: "We can not keep a player who asks to be sold.

For now, he remains available and Conte uses him respectfully towards the club.

Offers ?

Not for the moment.

If that changes, we'll try to find the right combination. ”

Eriksen (28) is under contract with Inter until June 2024. An exchange with Granit Xhaka, Arsenal midfielder and rival club of Eriksen's former team, Tottenham, has been mentioned.

Pique and Fati injured, Barça back to the wall

What to do during the winter transfer window, which will open on January 4?

This is the big question at FC Barcelona, ​​which has just lost Gérard Piqué for several months following a sprained right knee during the defeat at Atlético de Madrid on Saturday (1-0).

Catalan daily

reports that the medical joker rule no longer exists in La Liga, forcing Barca to wait until January for a possible reinforcement.

The same goes for forward Ansu Fati, who had surgery on his left knee this month.

Barça would like to recruit to overcome these long absences.

Problem: “money;

they do not have any, ”summarizes

.

In addition, 24 players are already registered by Barça in La Liga out of the 25 possible.

If two players were to join Barcelona, ​​it would push others out.

Unless the club believes that Pique (33) will return too late in the season, and decides not to register him in La Liga for the second part of the 2020-21 financial year ...

Gérard Piqué and the bar of 500 matches at FC Barcelona

MU: goalie dilemma with Henderson and Romero

On loan to Sheffield United last season, goalkeeper Dean Henderson has returned stronger than ever to Manchester United, with England international status.

Insufficient in the eyes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who maintains his confidence in David De Gea this season.

According to the

, Henderson (23), who extended until 2025 last summer, is not satisfied with a role of understudy to De Gea (30), and would require a new loan this winter.

Several Premier League and Championship clubs would be paying attention, but this is a concern for the Red Devils: their third goalkeeper, Argentina's Sergio Romero (33), would also want to leave the club according to

.

At the club since 2015, Romero hoped to keep his number 2 status and would like to revive quickly.

Not sure Manchester United will agree to release him from his contract, which expires next June, if Henderson insists on being loaned.

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