Manchester Metropolis’s current type has been removed from the excessive requirements set underneath Pep Guardiola’s management. After a string of disappointing outcomes, stories recommend that Guardiola is contemplating a sensational short-term answer: bringing Lionel Messi to the Premier League on a six-month mortgage. This potential reunion between the legendary participant and his former supervisor might tackle the management void brought on by Rodri’s absence and revive Metropolis’s faltering season.
The reigning Premier League champions have skilled an alarming dip in type, with simply one win of their final 11 video games. The downward spiral started within the Carabao Cup Spherical of 16, the place Metropolis suffered a 2-1 defeat to Tottenham. This consequence revealed cracks in a workforce lacking the influential Rodri, and the issues solely deepened in subsequent matches.
Losses to Bournemouth and Sporting Lisbon in fast succession left followers and pundits questioning the workforce’s resilience. Returning to home competitors supplied little respite because the Residents fell to Brighton and Spurs once more. A 3-3 draw towards Feyenoord within the Champions League offered a glimmer of hope, but it surely was short-lived; the membership succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at Anfield towards Liverpool.
Regardless of a quick reprieve in a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest, the reigning English champions’ struggles resumed with a 2-2 draw towards Crystal Palace and back-to-back losses to Juventus and arch-rivals Manchester United.
Guardiola’s contingency plan: Messi on mortgage
Amid this disaster, Guardiola is reportedly turning to his former Barcelona talisman, Lionel Messi, as a possible answer. In line with Italian newspaper Tuttosport, the Spaniard envisions the Argentine as a chief who can stabilize the squad and encourage performances within the second half of the season.
Whereas Metropolis lately acquired defensive reinforcements, the 53-year-old seems content material with Ilkay Gundogan filling in for Rodri. As a substitute, his focus has shifted to strengthening the attacking unit and bringing in a participant able to galvanizing all the workforce.
Messi is at the moment plying his commerce with Inter Miami, the place he has delivered distinctive performances since becoming a member of in July 2023. In simply 39 appearances, the Argentine star has scored 34 targets and offered 18 assists, underlining his enduring high quality.
The report additionally provides that the Herons co-owner David Beckham is unlikely to dam a mortgage transfer to Manchester Metropolis, paving the way in which for a doable mid-season swap. A six-month mortgage wouldn’t solely supply Messi a brand new problem but in addition permit Guardiola to faucet into the management and creativity he believes his facet desperately wants.
Messi has beforehand credited Guardiola for shaping his profession, saying, “Guardiola and Ronaldinho had been the 2 who had the most important impression on my profession. With Pep, we achieved extraordinary issues.” This mutual admiration provides weight to the hypothesis of a reunion between the duo.
What this transfer might imply for Metropolis
A transfer for Messi could be a press release of intent and a big gamble to show Metropolis’s season round. Guardiola’s reliance on tactical self-discipline and artistic freedom might align completely with Messi’s unparalleled imaginative and prescient and talent.
The prospect of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner gracing the Premier League would even be a dream come true for soccer followers worldwide. It could deliver the Argentine nearer to attaining one other milestone—dominating England’s prime flight—whereas providing Metropolis a possible lifeline in a season fraught with challenges.
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