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The football world is still reeling from Barcelona's announcement that Lionel Messi will not be re-signing with the club this summer. The Catalan giants put out a statement last night which explained that they will not be able to afford to sign the Argentine due to the sanctions placed on them by La Liga.
The league required Barcelona to show profits of €200 million in order to sign Lionel Messi. However, the Blaugrana have been unable to sell players this summer and are now unable to sign the forward, despite both parties agreeing upon a new deal.
This means Lionel Messi is now free to join a new club this summer, with PSG and Manchester City reportedly leading the race for the Argentine's signature. It remains to be seen where the forward will end up this summer, in a move which is sure to change the landscape of football.
However, signing a player of Lionel Messi's caliber does come with risks, and clubs should be wary of what they could be getting into by signing the Argentinian superstar. Here's why:
#1 Only a few clubs will be able to afford Lionel Messi's contract
Prior to Barcelona's announcement, Lionel Messi had agreed upon a 50 per cent pay cut to return to the club. However, now that sentiment's out the window, the Argentine has no obligation to accept lesser wages.
Messi was reportedly on a €515,00 per week contract at Barcelona, which also included massive added bonuses. The Argentine has every right to demand a similar contract from the new club he decides to sign with this summer.
Given the spending power of the likes of PSG and Manchester City, the two clubs should be able to accept any demand that Messi puts on the table. However, in doing so, they would jeopardize their financial flexibility. They will have to sell players down the line in order to be able to strengthen their squads in the future.
Signing Lionel Messi on such a large contract would put any club in danger of ending up in the situation that Barcelona are currently in.
#2 Lionel Messi is in the twilight of his career
Even if a team does manage to sign Lionel Messi this summer, they run the risk of only being able to get one or two good seasons out of the Argentine.
The 34-year old is reaching the end of his legendary career. Although no one doubts his ability, there will be question marks over how much longer he will be able to play at the highest of levels.
During the early part of the 2020-21 season, many thought that Lionel Messi was showing signs of a decline due to his underwhelming performances for Barcelona. However, the Argentine proved his doubters wrong by winning the golden boot in both La Liga and in the 2020 Copa America.
A club cannot expect the Argentine to be able to produce the same kind of performances he used to at Barcelona previously, even though he would massively improve any team that he joins.
#3 Lionel Messi's mindset heading into a new team
It's no secret that Lionel Messi had every intention of re-signing with Barcelona this summer before La Liga put a stop to the deal. The Argentine has been a part of the club for almost two decades and is undoubtedly the most loved and celebrated player in the club's history.
However, Lionel Messi is now being forced to join a new team against his wishes this summer. This could take a toll on his mindset heading into the 2021-22 season. No one is questioning the Argentine's professionalism, but any club should be wary of the fact that they were not his preferred destination this summer.
Lionel Messi's mentality heading into the new campaign could also affect his performances on the pitch. This was more evident than ever in the first few months of his 2020-21 campaign with Barcelona following the burofax saga last summer.
#4 Adapting to a new league may be difficult
"But can he do it on a cold, rainy night in Stoke?" We might finally get the answer to this question.
One of the main things that Lionel Messi's doubters like to bring up is that he's only shown his abilities in La Liga. The Spanish top-flight has been effectively dominated by two teams over the span of the Argentine's career, which has been held over Messi's head. With his impending move on the horizon, the forward might finally be able to shut his doubters up for good.
However, this will be easier said than done, especially if Lionel Messi decides to join a Premier League team. Given his age, the pace and physicality of the Premier League might take a while for the Argentine to adapt to. But this is a risk that a club like Manchester City will have to run if they do plan to sign the forward this summer.
Signing Messi is a win-now move and a team cannot afford to have the Argentine take an extended period of time to adapt to the league. This becomes especially urgent when his wages are taken into account.
However, if he decides to sign for PSG, expect Lionel Messi to break all sorts of Ligue 1 records for the French giants.
#5 Lionel Messi is not a system player
It's simple. Give Lionel Messi the ball and watch him work his magic.
When Messi joins his new team this summer, they will have to throw out all their current tactics and build around the forward. The Argentinian superstar will instantly become the focal point for any team in the world.
The team he joins will have no choice but to change their playing-style to suit Lionel Messi and have him as the main component of their attack. This will be easier said than done at top teams like PSG and Manchester City, who already have talismanic players around whom they focus their play.
Messi's arrival could step on some toes in terms of the hierarchy in the squad. This will be especially true when it comes to set-pieces and penalties which could in turn cause clashes within the team.
That being said, Lionel Messi would improve any team that he chooses to join, and the risk involved is far less than the positive impact he can have on a team.
