Lionel Messi could be on way to Premier League, reveals La Liga expert
Manchester City reportedly line up world-record £100m bid as Barcelona dither over new contract for the Argentina legend
THE previously unthinkable prospect of Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi moving to the Premier League may be on the cards, according to one of Spanish football’s most respected pundits.
With Barcelona yet to tie the five-time Ballon d’Or winner down to a new long-term contract, Manchester City are reportedly lining up a world record £100million bid for the 29-year-old who has just 18 months to run on his current Camp Nou deal.
And Spanish football expert Graham Hunter told that Barca fans are right to be anxious about the suddenly all-too-real prospect of losing their hero.
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“Barcelona are making a complete pig’s breakfast of renewing [Messi’s] contract,” Hunter said.
“Starting with the chief executive who said: ‘Well … we have to prioritize.’
“It means €300million in debt, €400million committed to renewing the stadium, many hundreds of millions committed to renewing the contracts for future salaries of Neymar, Luis Suarez, (Sergio) Busquets, leaving behind … tail-end Charlie Leo Messi.”
With former Barca coach Pep Guardiola in charge of Manchester City, the Etihad Stadium is being touted as Messi’s most likely destination should he depart the club he signed for as a 13-year-old in 2001.
And despite the fact that he turns 30 in June this year, the Premier League side would have no qualms about splashing a huge sum to secure the signing of Messi, as his value on the field will be augmented by his status as one of the world’s most recognisable and commercially profitable sporting stars.
“Big budget clubs in the Premier League must be phoning Jorge Messi, the player’s father, as City have done over the years to say: ‘What would it take?’” Hunter suggested.
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Since his debut as a shaggy-haired teenager in November 2004, Messi has smashed record after record with Barcelona, scoring 480 goals in 555 games en route to claiming eight La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues, as well as a host of other team and individual honours.
The reigning Spanish champions sit third in the league table this term, trailing rivals Real Madrid and Sevilla. Were it not for the heroics of Messi, whose 27 goals from 24 games have included crucial strikes to salvage points against the likes of Valencia, Real Sociedad and Villarreal, Luis Enrique’s men could’ve been out of the title race already.
Hunter believes that Messi’s future still rests in the hands of his current club, but he also offers a warning to Barcelona fans in the form of the club’s history with such matters.
“If you rank it you’d say still the ball is in Barca’s court,” the Barcelona-based journalist said. “And Messi prefers to stay, but, do you remember Romario, Ronaldinho, the original Ronaldo … Luis Figo (who all departed Barca)?”