LIONEL MESSI might have made a dramatic U-turn on his future, but there is nothing Barcelona can do to stop him walking away for FREE next summer.
The Argentine star, 33, announced he will remain at the Nou Camp this season due to the complications surrounding his wish to leave.
Messi recently reached 700 career goalsCredit: Reuters
But next summer he will become a free agent when his contract expires.
So if Messi still wants a Nou start, where might the six-time Ballon d’Or winner end up?
MAN CITY
WHEN it seemed Messi would be leaving, it was claimed that Man City had agreed a £623MILLION deal with the Little Magician.
It was reported that they would pay him £124m-a-year over five years – three of which would be at the Etihad and the last two at their MLS sister club New York City FC.
With an offer like that, it’s clear Man City would jump at the chance in 12 months time to snap him up.
With Pep Guardiola – Messi’s former boss in arguably his most-fruitful years – at the helm, there’s also more than just money on offer to Messi.
INTER MILAN
THE Serie A giants were a surprise name to enter the race to sign Messi way back in April and remained interested when he put his transfer request in.
Perhaps having grown tired of hoovering up Premier League’s outcasts, Antonio Conte would jump at the chance of a marquee signing next summer.
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 might be flush with cash next summer.
Both Neymar (Barcelona) and Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid) have been consistently linked with big-money departures and surely next summer one of them will finally go.
That would free up room in the team and allow the Ligue 1 giants to throw all of that money at Messi’s outrageous pay-packet for the rest of his career.
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 20 years on, perhaps he will return to lead the club that gave him his first opportunity to glory in South America.
Their fans even organised a convoy when they thought there was a chance of Messi joining this summer. He’d certainly be loved.
INTER MIAMI
DAVID Beckham – owner of the brand new MLS franchise – has spoken of his desire to bring Messi to Florida.
The superstar will turn 34 next summer and might feel more ready 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.
Beckham is still hopeful of bringing Messi to the MLS
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
