The secret of Man City accidentally sending an offer to buy Messi

Man City almost signed Messi.

Fifteen years ago, Man City began a rebuilding process modeled after Barcelona. They brought Ferran Soriano, Txiki Begiristain and later Pep Guardiola to Etihad. The only name Man City could not have was Lionel Messi. However, Leo was very close to Etihad in a way that no one could imagine, with an offer sent by mistake.

Since Guardiola arrived in Manchester in 2016, rumors of him trying to lure Messi have been circulating, especially when the Argentine superstar wanted to leave Barca in 2020. However, Man City have never made an offer. But back in the summer of 2008, just days after Abu Dhabi took over the club, the blue half of Manchester almost caused a stir in Europe.

At the time, Man City were a mid-table side. They opened the 2008/09 season with a 4-2 defeat to Aston Villa, their squad was in disarray and on the brink of financial crisis due to the legal problems of former president Thaksin Shinawatra. Newly arrived manager Mark Hughes was shocked by the dilapidated facilities and lack of energy.

Everything changed dramatically on 1 September 2008, the transfer deadline. While playing golf, Hughes received a call from CEO Garry Cook who told him: "The club has been bought." Immediately, the grey skies of Manchester turned into a gold mine. The new owners demanded a blockbuster deal immediately.

Leo's career could change completely if he joins Man City.

Things started to get chaotic. Offers came in from all over, from superstars to the unlikely. Robinho was the first player to take the bait, although he later admitted he thought he was signing for Chelsea or Manchester United.

But the biggest shock came from an internal call. While discussing goals, assistant Pairoj Piempongsant, who was relaxing, suddenly exclaimed: "Very messy, messy, it's getting messy." The word "messy" was interpreted by Cook and COO Paul Aldridge as Messi.

And then they decided to close the deal to avoid missing out. Man City sent Barca a £70 million offer for Messi, who was only 21 at the time but was already La Liga's top star. Barcelona was stunned. The Premier League was stunned too. "Are you guys crazy?", League President Dave Richards called Cook the next day to ask.

The transfer of course did not happen because Man City sent an offer to buy Messi without any serious plan, which surprised Barcelona and then flatly refused. "The Citizens" also did not pursue further when realizing the mistake.

However, the story filled with chaos, naivety and ambition when Man City changed their life became a classic anecdote, opening the way for the rise of this team in a new era.

Source: https://znews.vn/bi-mat-vu-man-city-lo-tay-gui-de-nghi-mua-messi-post1609785.html