Chinese club Hebei China Fortune prepare to pay €1.4bn for Lionel Messi The government funded Chinese Super League would have to break the bank to make the deal happen.Chinese Super League club Hebei China Fortune are preparing another bid for Barcelona forward Lionel Messi after their first move was rejected. The Argentine legend has just signed a new long-term deal at the Nou Camp with a €700m (£617.8m) release clause. New rules in Chinese football mean any deal would cost Hebei a staggering €1.4billion (£1.2billion). (Mundo Deportivo) Reports in various European news media said Hebei China Fortune, which signed Javier Mascherano from the Catalan side in January, are preparing another bid for Messi after their first move was rejected. Hebei also signed Ezequiel Lavezzi and reports claimed the two signings were aimed at convincing Messi to join the club. Messi’s contract runs until 2021 and reportedly contains a £618m release clause. The striker has been at Barcelona for his entire career and turned down a move to China last summer. But according to Mundo Deportivo, Hebei Fortune remain undeterred in their quest to sign the 30-year-old superstar. The Super League side already have Messi’s compatriot Ezequiel Lavezzi in their ranks, reportedly earning £10m-per-year.Ex-Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini is in charge of the side that finished fourth in last year’s Chinese Super League. Former Barcelona and Liverpool star Javier Mascherano became the Chilean manager’s latest signing.The 33-year-old left the Catalan giants after seven years of service, recently making his debut in a 2-1 friendly win over Spartak Moscow. Pellegrini would dearly love to add Messi to his team’s ranks as they look to overthrow Guangzhou Evergrande.]]>
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