Laporta: Inter wanted Messi

November 14, 2009

FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed that he turned down a bid in the summer from FC Internazionale Milano for Lionel Messi.

Messi has recently extended his Barca contract to 2016, which has a buy-out clause of more than £200million.

But Laporta confirms that Inter chief Massimo Moratti did indeed try to sign Messi, a favourite to win the Ballon d’Or later this year.

When asked in Corriere dello Sport if Moratti had expressed an interest in buying Messi, Laporta said: “Yes he did.

“But there is nothing to talk about. Messi is not for sale, he (Moratti) must forget about it.

“Massimo is a very successful businessman, but for how he behaves, especially a gentleman.

“Between us is born a beautiful friendship from the first meeting because he speaks to me as a brother.

“He has great human values, listens to others, but is also appealing and full of humour. This have made easier the exchange between Ibrahimovic and Eto’o.”

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: abhimanyu, ballon, Barcelona, beautiful friendship, brother, Eto, fc barcelona, fc internazionale milano, first meeting, gentleman, human values, humour, Ibrahimovic, joan laporta, lionel messi, massimo, massimo moratti, messi messi, sale, Sport

Reds Co-owner Hicks promises new stadium

September 7, 2009

Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has insisted the club will build a new stadium, but only when the world’s financial climate improves.

The Reds are struggling to raise the £500million needed to build a new home because of the recession despite Hicks’ sale of baseball outfit Texas Rangers.

Hicks is set to pocket £450million from the imminent sale of his baseball franchise, but he has stated that the money cannot be used to fund a new Liverpool stadium.

“Rangers and Liverpool are totally separate investments, so there is no connection.

“I do plan to keep a significant participation in the Rangers. We are close to winning our division. I want to finish what we have started.

“Liverpool will obtain stadium financing when the financial market opens back up. We have all of our permits and will be ready when the market is ready,” Hicks told the Daily Post.

Abhimanyu Rajput