The soccer legend opened up about the ‘brutal’ transfer saga and his decision to stay at Barcelona. Manu Fernandez/Pool via Getty ImagesKEY FACTSThe 33-year-old striker, who has spent 20 years with Barcelona, initially announced late in August that he intended to leave the club on a free transfer. Key backgroundBefore Messi announced his decision to remain at the club, transfer rumors ran rampant about where he could go next. English Premier League team Manchester City briefly emerged as a clear favorite to sign the Argentinian superstar, with a reunion with manager Pep Guardiola at Manchester City looking likely, ESPN had reported. Manchester City were one of the few teams with a big enough budget to afford Messi: The club was previously willing to pay between $118 million and $177 million for the superstar.

Source: Forbes September 04, 2020 17:37 UTC