Chapter 351: Guardiola: Manchester City Buying Messi? It's Not Impossible!
Maria guessed right; more than half of the fans at the scene were there for Lin Quan. Of course, there were also people there to welcome the new coach Guardiola, but they were in the minority. Most came for Lin Quan and incidentally welcomed Guardiola.
Guardiola, unaware of this, was deeply moved by the large turnout, thinking all the fans were there for him. "Manchester is truly a great place," he thought. The club's owner was understanding, and the fans were so warm and welcoming. He felt a strong obligation to give back to these supportive fans.
Manchester City took Guardiola's arrival seriously, organizing a grand welcome ceremony at the Etihad Stadium. Many fans and journalists attended, making the event lively. City fans held various banners, chanting Guardiola's name, viewing him as a savior who could lead the team out of its current slump.
The journalists, on the other hand, were there to chase the hype and boost their newspaper sales and online clicks. Sky Sports even broadcasted the event live, attracting over 5 million viewers globally. This viewership number exceeded many Premier League matches.
"No wonder he's a world-class coach; even a welcome event draws so many viewers!" "Of course, this is the man who built the Dream Team at Barcelona, winning two Champions League titles in three years!" "Haha, I wonder if Guardiola can replicate his Barcelona success at Manchester City." "Doubtful. City's pedigree isn't on par with Barcelona's. Barcelona's La Masia academy is world-renowned. Manchester City? I haven't heard of any notable youth players from City." "City's youth academy is indeed a weak point, but that's also because they've only had significant investment for six years since the Abu Dhabi group took over." "Exactly. Clubs like Barcelona and Ajax have spent generations, even decades, building their youth systems. It's not an overnight success." "The Abu Dhabi group is reliable. They prioritize youth development, spending considerable sums on improving facilities and establishing youth teams." "Sounds much better than PSG, who rely solely on buying players." "Indeed, there are differences even among Middle Eastern billionaires." "Certainly. The Qatari group seems more like they're playing around compared to Abu Dhabi's serious approach."
The fans initially discussed Manchester City but gradually shifted to criticizing Paris Saint-Germain. It seems fans aren't entirely against wealthy club owners; they just dislike those who don't respect football's traditions and rely solely on buying players instead of developing their own.
City was initially disliked for this reason but has since gotten on the right track. Although their youth academy hasn't yet produced significant results, they are making progress. Currently, City is already a strong team. While many players weren't homegrown, this is common in football; even Real Madrid has few academy graduates in their lineup.
At the event, Guardiola looked at the expectant faces of the thousands of fans present and felt the weight of his responsibility. He took a deep breath and spoke: "Thank you very much to Manchester City for giving me the opportunity to coach here. Manchester City is a club with a long history and a rejuvenated spirit. I am looking forward to the next four years and am confident we will all enjoy this journey together."
The fans responded with cheers and applause, moved by his words.
"Today, I don't want to talk about my past successes. After all, everyone knows I've won two Champions League titles. There's no need to emphasize that!" Guardiola said with a smile, causing the fans to laugh. This was a nod to a certain coach known for frequently mentioning his two Champions League titles.
"Now that I'm here, I aim to find a new, stronger, and more suitable playing style for Manchester City, such as a City-specific tiki-taka." Guardiola's words received more applause. Fans were worried he might rigidly apply Barcelona's system to City, but his words assured them otherwise.
"I know the City players well, especially the one wearing the number 10 jersey!" His remark made the fans laugh again, and the cameras panned to Lin Quan in the front row. The number 10 was none other than Lin Quan. Given their close relationship, it would be strange if Guardiola didn't know him well.
"City has a group of excellent players. I will take the time to get to know them, embrace them, and occasionally get angry at them!" Some City players sitting near Lin Quan looked at him for confirmation. Lin Quan nodded; Guardiola was generally good-natured but could be quite strict when it came to work.
Towards the end of the event, Guardiola gave a flattering speech: "One of my dreams was to play for Manchester City, but that's not possible now. However, coming here as a coach is, in a way, fulfilling that dream!" The fans were delighted, giving him a warm round of applause. However, Lin Quan, standing by, couldn't help but feel a bit nauseated: "I didn't expect Guardiola to be so good at flattery!"
Guardiola enjoyed the applause: "I must say, the atmosphere here is incredible. From my first day in Manchester, I've felt the fans' passion. I hope to continue living in this atmosphere, eager to learn more, meet more people, and become the great coach you all hope for."
After flattering the club and the fans, the event moved to the Q&A session with journalists eagerly awaiting their turn. The first question asked was quite attention-grabbing: "Coach Pep, will you buy Messi?" Guardiola paused, then laughed heartily and replied, "Messi is a fantastic player. If he's willing to come and the club can afford it, of course, I'd love to bring him to the Etihad Stadium. After all, like everyone, I'd love to see the chemistry of two Messis on the field!"
The fans and journalists at the scene burst into knowing laughter. Guardiola had voiced what everyone was thinking. Many people were very curious about what it would be like if Lin Quan and Messi were on the same team. The results of these two leading teams separately were already so terrifying; if they joined forces, no team in the football world could probably compete with them.
Of course, given the high market values of these two players, bringing them together wouldn't be an easy task. During the summer transfer window, PSG had made an offer to Manchester City. Although unsuccessful, it revealed the true market value of players like Messi and Lin Quan—over 200 million euros each! If a team wanted both players, the transfer fees alone would exceed 400 million euros. Even for clubs like Manchester City and Barcelona, this is a massive amount.
Only teams backed by Middle Eastern billionaires like Manchester City and PSG could afford this. Fortunately, Lin Quan's team, Manchester City, had the financial capability, and Guardiola had a good relationship with Messi. Combining City's wealth with Guardiola's influence might actually persuade Messi to join.
After hearing Guardiola's statement, fans and journalists couldn't help but let their imaginations run wild. Some eager journalists already had drafts prepared in their minds, ready to create big news as soon as the press conference ended.
Not only the journalists wanted to make headlines, but even the big boss of Manchester City, Mansour, who attended the event personally, misinterpreted Guardiola's statement as a request to the club. He seriously instructed his assistant, "After the winter transfer window opens, make another offer to Barcelona. See if we can bring Messi over."
Although this would cost a lot of money, for the wealthy Mansour, money wasn't an issue. As long as it strengthened the team, he wouldn't reject any of Guardiola's requests.
Guardiola joining Manchester City garnered a lot of attention not only in the UK but throughout Europe. Guardiola's fame was immense due to his past coaching successes, making his every move highly scrutinized. His joining a team that had just won the Champions League, which also had one of the hottest superstars in football, naturally worried other top clubs aiming for the Champions League.
Especially since Guardiola mentioned buying Messi, which heightened everyone's concerns. When Guardiola's words reached La Liga, Barcelona quickly made a statement: Messi is not for sale. No matter the time, Barcelona would never put Messi on the market. He would end his career at Camp Nou.
Clearly, Barcelona was nervous. As Messi's mentor, Guardiola held a special place in Messi's heart. Many players at Barcelona, including Messi, fondly remembered playing under Guardiola. Barcelona feared these players might be tempted and persuaded by Guardiola to join Manchester City. They had already missed out on Lin Quan and couldn't afford to lose Messi. If Messi left, Barcelona would be set back significantly.
Despite Barcelona's insistence that Messi was not for sale, journalists and fans remained skeptical. In the commercial era of football, club statements are often as unreliable as hot air. The winter transfer window was approaching, and once it opened, they would find out if Barcelona's claims were true.
In a luxury villa in Barcelona, Lionel Messi turned off the TV broadcast, feeling dazed. Did Pep really say he wanted to take him to Manchester City? Was he serious or joking? If Guardiola genuinely invited him, should he accept?
Messi was conflicted. His attachment to Barcelona was deep, and he didn't want to leave. But Guardiola had been a great mentor and highly appreciated him. Rejecting Guardiola's invitation would make Messi feel guilty. The ideal situation would be for Guardiola to return to Camp Nou so they could reunite. However, that dream was shattered the moment Guardiola decided to join the Premier League. Messi sighed deeply.
Manchester City's biggest rivals in the league, Manchester United and Chelsea, were the most affected by Guardiola's move. As City's arch-rivals, United didn't want City to recover from their slump. They hoped City would continue to flounder so they could teach them a lesson in the next Manchester derby at Old Trafford.
Chelsea, on the other hand, were City's main competitors for the title this season. In the last five league matches, Chelsea's winning streak allowed them to surpass City in the standings. After 17 rounds, Chelsea had 13 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss, totaling 42 points and sitting at the top. City, with 12 wins, 3 draws, and 2 losses, were second with 39 points. The gap between the two teams was small, just one game. Considering there was a direct clash between the two in the second half of the season, if City regained form and beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea's current lead would disappear.
Thus, Mourinho and his Chelsea team were highly vigilant about Guardiola's arrival.