LIONEL MESSI is able to leave Barcelona on a free transfer in 2021 – and he just might, too.
The Argentine star, 33, has been at the Nou Camp for the last 19 years and has never once looked even close to walking away.
Messi recently reached 700 career goalsCredit: Reuters
In fact, since 2005, Messi has extended his contract eight times.
But now, with the six-time Ballon d’Or winner having reportedly called off contract negotiations – Barcelona could lose their star man.
According to ESPN, Barca’s No10 and father Jorge have ended talks having been left furious by a series of rows with the board, and the impossible now looks very much possible.
With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at five clubs the Argentine ace could end up at in what would be a strange new world…
MAN CITY
YOU can’t mention the best players in the world without mentioning the Etihad giants.
Man City have long been linked with Messi – despite the player having previously held no interest in leaving Barcelona.
With Pep Guardiola – Messi’s former boss in arguably his most-fruitful years – at the helm, there is always the possibility of a move for the Argentine forward.
More importantly, City can afford to pay his sky-high wages – believed to be around £500,000 a week AFTER tax in Spain.
INTER MILAN
THE Serie A giants were a surprise name to enter the race to sign Messi back in April.
Taking a break from hoovering up the Premier League’s outcasts, Antonio Conte has turned his attention to a marquee signing.
Former club president Massimo Moratti is confident Inter will land their man, too.
Let’s not forget, Inter were the only team to ever trigger Messi’s release clause.
In 2006, with Messi aged just 18, Inter agreed to pay his £132million release fee – only missing out on him because the Argentine wanted to stick around in Spain.
PSG
SEEMINGLY always on the brink of breaching Financial Fair Play regulations, PSG could actually be flush with cash this summer.
Both Neymar (Barcelona) and Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid) have been linked with big-money departures – with the added bonus of their wages being off the books too.
That could allow the Ligue 1 giants to throw all of that money at Messi’s outrageous pay-packet for the rest of his career.
If PSG were willing to sell Neymar to Barcelona, then a move for Messi to the French capital could be all the more feasible, too…
NEWELL’S OLD BOYS
MESSI could instead opt for a fairytale conclusion to his career – by returning to boyhood team Newell’s Old Boys.
The future superstar joined the Argentine side when he was just six-years-old, swiftly becoming noticed as a prodigious talent.
He scored over 500 goals for Newell’s youth teams, before being snapped up by Barcelona aged 14.
But now, nearly 20 years later, perhaps he will return to lead the club that gave him his first opportunity to glory in South America.
INTER MIAMI
EVER since September, David Beckham – owner of the brand new MLS franchise – has spoken of his desire to bring Messi to Florida.
Still only 33, it’s unlikely the Barca boy would give it all up to head to the US.
Whatever age, Messi would be the biggest name to ever head to the States – even after Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney and Golden Balls himself.
Their biggest drawback, though, would be how to pay him – with a team salary cap in place in the MLS.
SunSport readers don’t see a move to Inter Miami or Newell’s Old Boys as all that likely with 14 per cent and 13 per cent respectively backing him to be at those clubs in 2021.
25 per cent think he’ll still be at Barcelona but 48 per cent believe he will have moved elsewhere next year.
Beckham is still hopeful of bringing Messi to the MLS
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
