BRAZIL legend Kaka says he can imagine Lionel Messi quitting Barcelona for another club.
The Argentinian hit the headlines earlier last week when he publicly called out Barcelona’s director of football Eric Abidal.
Brazil legend Kaka says Lionel Messi would find a move to the Premier League easy
The chief had accused Barca’s players of not putting in enough effort under Ernesto Valverde prior to his sacking.
That prompted Messi to respond on Instagram as he demanded Abidal “name names”.
Both Manchester City, managed by ex-Barca boss Pep Guardiola, and city rivals United have both been linked with a sensational swoop for the magician.
Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu has reportedly stepped in to ease the row but Kake believes the motives behind Messi’s public response are unclear.
He told Sky Sports: “From outside it’s really hard to say something you don’t know. I don’t know if Messi wants to leave or if he just wants to protect the players as a captain.”
And when pressed on whether he could envisage Messi lining-up for another club, the former Milan and Real Madrid maestro says he would find a move to England easy.
Kaka said: “I think so. It’s not going to be a problem for him in the Premier League or a top club in the top three leagues in the world.
“It depends on what he wants for his career. It’s hard to see him play for another club but [he might say], ‘it’s ok, it’s time for me to change, I’m going to have another experience.
“I will be the best football player in the world at another team’.”
The possibility of Messi leaving next year when his contract expires remains an option – although Abidal is hopeful the superstar will pen a new deal.
He said: “The question is for him, hopefully it continues.
“Leo said that Barca is everything for him, that he wants to stay here, from there are conditions.
“We are talking about the best player in the world and having a renewal with such a player is never easy.”
Messi has already stated he would like to return to his homeland to play for his boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys.
But after raising a family in Spain, he has reservations about a switch to South America.
He said in October: “I always say that I don’t want to leave here, I have no thoughts of moving.
“I have the dream of being able to play for Newell’s in Argentina, but I don’t know if it’s really going to happen because I have a family that is ahead of my desire.
“It’s a dream I’ve had since I was little, but I have a family, I have three children, I live in a place that has given me everything and where I am calm and can give my children a spectacular future.
“We think much more about that than my desire of playing football in Argentina. I will try to convince the family, because today we have to convince the children too.”
Barcelona chief Abidal admits new Lionel Messi deal is ‘never easy’ as star edges towards free Man United transfer
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
