[jerrakos]

Zenit ready to make shock move for Barcelona's Messi
tribalfootball.com - June 30, 2008

Zenit St Petersburg's backers are ready to make a sensational offer for Barcelona star Lionel Messi.
Russian energy group, Gazprom, financially support Zenit and RIA Nowosti says they've discussed in recent days the prospect of splashing out on Argie ace Messi.

Gazprom are willing to put £18 million towards signing Messi, with Zenit including Andrei Arshavin in their offer to bring the total bid in the region of £30 million.

http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=100458

Arshavin And €20m For Messi - Zenit
Zenit St. Petersburg have said that they would be willing to allow Andrei Arshavin to join Barcelona this summer, as long as Lionel Messi goes in the opposite direction.

The Russian news agency, Ria Novosti, reported the outlandish idea as the Blaugrana are said to have made an approach for the Russian international.

While Zenit recognise that Arshavin may well be leaving given the renewed interest in his services after some impressive display at Euro 2008, they are certain he will not leave on the cheap.

An idea about Messi arose because of the constant speculation in the media about the link with Barça and so the club told Ria Novosti that they were ready to counter the offer.

Zenit will now propose to Barcelona that Messi joins them in exchange for Arshavin and €20m, a move designed to show that they will be no pushovers in negotiations.

Several other clubs are also interested in the 27-year-old and speculation is rife that the Blaugrana are being used so publicly to pull other clubs into the bidding.

Chelsea are allegedly one other major side that could make a move, with Roman Abramovich said to be ready to intervene personally to try and persuade the player to move to Stamford Bridge.

Barça hope to wrap up all their summer transfer dealings by the end of the end of this week before the referendum on the club's board takes place on Sunday.

http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=757511

No chance of happening, I don't think Messi would even go there but interesting none the less.

[hafiz_shukri00391]

barcelona dont need arshavin right..........with adebayor and drogba on the list.......just forget about arshavin.....................maybe he will choice german side......such as /.....

[Double]

Russia has a lot of billionaires so with the right backing they may be able to afford it but i seriously doubt Messi would give it a 2nd thought.

[ManUtd19]

Lol. Messi might want to move there if every other club closed down. Zenit would be much better off making a realistic approach to a club that could actually use Arshavin. Out of Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Inter, AC, Juve, Barca & Real, they chose the only club that doesn't want another striker and targeted the only man they would do anything not to sell. Nice thinking..

[Forever_United]

pffft. as if. there having a laff

[CaptainRoyKeane]

Hahahaha Messi in Zenit? Russian Football, come on now, his class is way better than Russian football!

[marty davidson]

i somehow doubt messi will move to zenit

[dckyfoxes]

Not in my life time...

[campbell16]

can't see it coming true would messi want to go out of the western european countries, and the weather for what might be even less money

[manutd004]

Its just a plan to bump up the price imo.

Although I doubt Barca will take it seriously and will cave in to any demands.

I don't think Barca need Arshavin anyway, but thats not my decision.