Losing Messi the 'worst nightmare' for everyone connected to BarcelonaMartin Ainstein explains the feeling around Barcelona after Joan Laporta confirmed Lionel Messi's departure.
The news that Lionel Messi has left Barcelona on a free transfer this summer has rocked world football, and it has inevitably got tongues wagging about where the Argentina superstar will go next.
Manchester City were considered to be the 34-year-old's most likely destination, according to Marca, despite Pep Guardiola's team having just spent £100 million on Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish and their plans to bring in Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane for a similar amount.
But Guardiola played down the prospect of signing Messi by insisting the Argentina international is "absolutely not in the club's thoughts."
Messi's other main option seems to be Paris Saint-Germain, who have brought in some big-name signings this summer already with free transfers for Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Georginio Wijnaldum, alongside a €70m deal for Inter full-back Achraf Hakimi, while star striker Kylian Mbappe's contract (which expires in 2022) needs to be extended.
Sources have told ESPN's Julien Laurens that PSG reached out to Messi on Thursday. PSG sporting director Leonardo and chairman Nasser al Khelaifi are heavily involved in the discussions with Messi, having been in contact with his father Jorge for some time and and the former Barcelona star's arrival would mean Kylian Mbappe stays in Paris for at least another year and that club halt a planned move for Man United midfielder Paul Pogba.
AS reports that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has requested an urgent meeting with Messi's representatives as he wants to sign the Argentine.
Major League Soccer is also an option, with sources telling ESPN that City's offer back in August 2020 included a long-term contract that would see him move to partner club New York City FC after three years in the Premier League.
For now, it appears Messi intends on staying at the top level in Europe for a few more years before heading across the Atlantic. But he will have his pick of options, and could yet perform another U-turn to sign his new deal at Barcelona if the club can find a way to work out the finances with LaLiga.
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