Former England coach Glenn Hoddle is backing Manchester City‘s pursuit of Barcelona captain Lionel Messi.
Off contract in June, Messi’s future at the Nou Camp remains clouded with no signs of a willingness from his end to open new contract talks. The Argentine submitted a transfer request via burofax over the summer, only to withdraw it before the start of the LaLiga season as Barca’s board refused to consider selling. All suitors – including City – were referred to Messi’s €700m buyout clause.
However since then, little has changed and with the January market less than a month away there is expectations that City will try again for the Argentine superstar over the winter market.
For Hoddle, the arrival of Messi would be “spectacular” for both City and the Premier League as a whole.
Speaking on his podcast, ‘The Glenn Hoddle Footy Show‘, the former Tottenham star declared: “Lionel Messi playing in the Premier League would be spectacular.
“There’s only a few clubs in the Premier League he could play for given his age and the way he plays, City would be absolutely spot on 100 per cent.”
And for Hoddle, Messi’s arrival can only benefit City’s young England international Phil Foden.
He continued: “What a way to learn. What a way to learn! What a way to improve by playing with Messi, watching him and training with him. Yeah, it might knock him down the pecking order, but for everyone, for the Premier League and the fans it would be exciting.”
On Foden adapting to Messi’s arrival, Hoddle concluded: “He looks like a young player who does learn quickly. He’s astute. He has talent, but also football intelligence, and I think he would come on leaps and bounds.”
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