If Messi moves . . . the route lies in so many directions
LIONEL Messi is so very unhappy with Spanish authorities for convicting him and his father for tax fraud that he’s stalling on signing a new contract with Barcelona.
Barca president Josep Bartomeu says he’s confident Messi will eventually sign a deal and end his career at the Camp Nou, but Messi holds all the cards at the negotiation table and his father, also angered by the court’s decision to sentence him, is his agent.
As bizarre as it would feel to see Messi in another team’s shirt, there is a genuine chance the Argentine wizard could be lured from the club that has been home since the age of 13.
Where would Messi go? Who could realistically sign him?
HERE ARE THE OPTIONS:
Manchester City It is no secret that Manchester City have wanted to sign Lionel Messi for some time and with Pep Guardiola in charge and fellow ex-Barcelona man Txiki Begirstain above him, they feel like they would be Messi’s choice of destination. They are one of few clubs who could afford both a transfer fee and his wages.
“Maybe he will think, ‘OK, I want to go play somewhere else’ because maybe he wants his kids to speak English or live a different experience, like has happened to many of us,” said Guardiola recently.
“Maybe it could happen, but if he decides to go and it happens, there would be a list of seven or eight clubs that would want to sign him, and it would be down to him. Messi will decide where to go.”
A proud Argentinian, were Messi to make the move to the Etihad, he would be reunited with close friend Sergio Aguero as well as countrymen and international teammates Pablo Zabaleta and Willy Caballero, all of whom would be mad not to try to coax Messi to join them.
Probability rating: 8/10 Manchester United Manchester United’s transfer policy has shifted in recent years from buying brilliant players in certain positions to strengthen the team, to buying the most famous footballer they can name for whatever ludicrous price they are quoted.
Whatever Ed Woodward wants, Ed Woodward sort of gets and United flexed their enormous financial muscles by breaking the world transfer record for Paul Pogba. Could they do the same with Messi?
United are, for all their recent on-pitch struggles, still one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Could Messi’s entourage resist the pull of Old Trafford and those famous Europa League Thursday nights if he is being paid more per week than most countries? And would he really be willing to compete for a place in the starting XI with Jesse Lingard?
Probability rating: 6/10 Arsenal There must be a reason they’re keeping all that money stored. If ever there were a valid justification to empty the bank it would be to sign Messi, and Arsenal would make a great destination. First of all it’s in London, which is where Messi’s friend Cesc Fabregas lives.
Secondly, Wenger’s team play beautiful football, challenge at the top every year and have players who would suit the way Messi plays.
It still feels inevitable that even if handed the opportunity to sign the greatest player in the history of the game, Wenger would find some economic reason to not sign him.
“It was . . . uhhhh . . . little bit too expensive and if Messi came how would we facilitate the growth of [clearly average youth player signed eight years ago]?”
Probability rating: 6/10 Chelsea Roman Abramovich hasn’t shown off quite how incredibly wealthy he is in recent seasons. But like Arsenal, perhaps he’s just been waiting for the chance to pull off an enormous transfer coup like Messi to Chelsea.
Antonio Conte has done wonders with his team and a strike force of Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Messi would terrify any professional football defence, let alone Sunderland.
London is a big pull again but the number of tattoos Messi has acquired of late suggests he might suit a home somewhere further east in the capital. Probability rating: 5/10 PSG Even though Paris might not be as nice as they make it seem in movies, it’s still a lovely city and Messi would score boat loads of goals there. PSG have long been linked with a stupidmoney transfer bid for Neymar, but the Brazilian has signed a new long-term deal with Barcelona.
Perhaps their search for a shiny new gem, in a city only an hour and 45 minutes from Barcelona, could tempt Messi and his family to be moved for some guaranteed domestic success. Probability rating: 4/10 Messi can go anywhere he wants. China or MLS could make him richer than Apple, but Messi has reiterated his desire to end his career at Newell Old Boys where it all began. But he’s definitely going to end up signing a new deal at Barcelona.