Barcelona

Bobby Robson Urges Manchester City To Sign Messi

Former England and Barcelona coach Sir Bobby Robson has recommended that filthy-rich Manchester City make a move to prise Lionel Messi away from the Camp Nou.

1 Dec 2008 06:04:49

Photo Gallery

Zoom

Lionel Messi - Barcelona-Lyon

Teams

Barcelona

Players

Messi

As Manchester City continue to flash their cheque-books about hoping to lure the best players in the world to Eastlands, former England legend Sir Bobby Robson has advised the club to forget about every other player and focus their resources on signing Lionel Messi from Barcelona.

Robson, who coached Barca during the 1996/97 season, left no doubt as to who he believes is the best player in the world today and what he would do if he had the kind of money City now boast.

“If I were the administrator of Manchester City and had proprietors who are willing to give me money to sign players, I would buy Messi in the January transfer window,” Robson told in The Sun.

“He is the best young player in the world and there aren’t many clubs that can afford to make a signing such as this.

“It’s an opportunity that cannot be missed and if City want to be the best team in the world, then they need the best player in the world.”

With Barcelona unlikely to even bat an eyelid before rejecting any offers for their superstar forward, the only way any team can attempt to lure Messi away from the Camp Nou would be to pay off his €120 million buy-out clause - and, at present, it would appear that Manchester City are the only club who have access to that kind of money.

KS Leong, Goal.com