Cristiano Ronaldo ‘offered £230,000-a-week by Man City, Harry Kane wants £400k-a-week, Kounde Chelsea transfer update
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HARRY KANE has taken to Twitter to confirm he will be STAYING at Tottenham.
But it has emerged that the England captain was fined two weeks wages for returning late from his summer holiday, even though he thought the club had given him the all-clear to extend the trip.
Man City were willing to offer Spurs their pick of five players - Bernardo Silva, Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez, Aymeric Laporte or Gabriel Jesus in exchange for Kane - but will now turn their attention elsewhere.
And their top target could be Cristiano Ronaldo, who they have reportedly offered a two-year deal worth £230,000-a-week.
However, City do not want to pay a transfer fee or offer Juventus Gabriel Jesus in exchange, in what could be a potential stumbling block to the move.
Follow ALL of the latest news and updates below…
DECISION DAY
"With great sadness we have had to make a decision.
"What we can't do is just keep prolonging the agony and making things longer."
MORE FROM LAPORTA
"We couldn't keep going with this [economic situation], and we needed to make a decision.
"And that's what we did."
TOUGH TIMES
Joan Laporta looks under pressure as he stands in front of the Spanish media and broadcasts to the world.
Credit: Reuters 
Credit: AFP
SALARY NIGHTMARE
Laporta says they agreed a deal with Messi but it could not be finalised due to financial fair play.
The salary limit didn't permit it.
He goes on to say decisions under the previous presidency were "awful" in terms of numbers, and the situation at the club is worse than feared.
SAD SITUATION
"It's obviously sad that the situation is what it is with Messi.
"We can't pay homage to him in the way we would have wanted to in two years with fans in the stands.
"It could have been done a nicer way but the circumstances are what they are, so it's very sad."
Credit: Reuters LA LIGA CRITISCISM
"La Liga is not flexible in widening their salary limit.
"The club is over everything and we can't effect those broadcasting rights for over half a century."
SALARY MORE THAN INCOME
Laporta says that the salary at the club would be 110% compared to club income should Messi have stayed.
SALARY NIGHTMARE
"To bring in £25million in salary we had to release £100million."
The club were paying players too much on their salaries at a rate of 4:1.
Players have had to accept salary reductions and restructures.
CASH OFFERED
"The only way was to accept La Liga's operation, one that is not in Barca's best interests.
He continues by saying that the club were offered money by the league in order to offer Messi a contract, but it would affect their TV money for years into the future.
And he says again the club is bigger than a player, and he couldn't accept this offer.
"IT CAN'T BE"
"We all wanted to enjoy his talent, his magic playing at Barca.
"But at the moment it can't be."
CONTRACT OFFER
"We've been at it for two months and we've gone through different stages.
"The first agreement was a two year contract to be paid over five years, and Leo was in agreement with that.
"He was always present and tried to make it easy for us."
He goes on to explain La Liga financial fair play doesn't allow this, so the club had no other option.
ON WHETHER THERE'S A CHANCE MESSI COULD STAY
"I don't want to generate false hope.
"And during the course of negotiations we've known that the player has had other offers."
BEST FOR THE CLUB
Joan Laporta insists that the decision is the best thing for the club.
He explains that the financial implications of a new contract are too great, and would the club in serious risk for the next 50 years.
He criticises the previous president for the financial situation but says no player is above the club.
The club has to come first.
OTHER OFFERS
"He has other offers of course.
"And after all this negotiations there comes a moment when you need to say enough.
"You need to analyse it rigorously and look at the numbers.
"And in the Spanish La Liga we have to abide by the rules.
"We think they could be more flexible but that's not an excuse.
"We couldn't abide by it because of the inheritance we had.
"Leo deserves everything."
LAPORTA CONFERENCE
"Leo wanted to stay at Barca.
"We wanted him to stay."
NO MARGINS
"We would have put the club in great risk [offering Messi a new contract].
"There's no margin after a calamitous situation that was all down to the previous board of administrators."
CLUB IMPORTANCE
"We will always thank him for everything he has done for us.
"The club goes over players, coaches, presidents."
SPENDING
"What we're spending is a lot more than we expected.
"The contracts mean we have a salary of great magnitude and it allows us no margin.
"This is all tied to fair play."
HE CONTINUES
"We don't have any margin in terms of salary.
"The rules and regulations of the Spanish La Liga is regulated by Financial Fair Play.
"We don't have any margin."
OPENING LINE
"I'm here to explain the situation we have reached in the negotiations regarding Lionel Messi."
HERE HE IS
Right now Joan Laporta has emerged.
HERE WE GO!
STILL WAITING
No sign of Joan Laporta yet.
He's running five minutes behind schedule so far.
MESSI STATS
Whoever does sign Lionel Messi is getting arguably the best player of all time.
More will be revealed in Jean Laporta's press conference set to get underway in just over ten minutes, but in the time between now and then try and get your head around these stats.
In 778 appearances for Barcelona, the 34-year-old has scored 672 goals and bagged 305 assists.
He also has TEN La Liga titles, FOUR Champions League triumphs and SIX Ballon d'Or wins.
HALF AN HOUR WARNING
Expect fireworks from this one.
Jean Laporta is set to hold a press conference regarding Lionel Messi's Barcelona exit in half an hour's time.
PRESS CONFERENCE
Barcelona President Joan Laporta will hold a press conference at 10am (UK time) after the news of Lionel Messi's Barcelona exit.
We'll keep you right up to date with everything that goes on in that one, as Laporta gets set to address the public.
