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Lionel Messi's decision to leave Barcelona has sent shockwaves across the world of football, with the Argentine star edging closer to a stunning exit. A series of events on and off the pitch have reportedly contributed towards his decision, which is believed to be an irreversible one as things stand.
Barcelona are in complete disarray and have their work cut out for them to become a force in Europe once again, as they look to rebuild the squad under new manager Ronald Koeman. However, it seems unlikely that Messi will be a part of it, having announced his decision to quit the club immediately.
The 33-year-old reportedly has a clause in his contract that allows him to unilaterally terminate his contract and walk for free at the end of each season. Messi and his representatives are adamant that they are well within their rights to demand a free transfer due to the aforementioned condition, while Barcelona are standing firm on the fact that the clause expired earlier this year.
Lionel Messi and Barcelona at a crossroads
A legal battle could ensue between the two parties if they are unable to reach a compromise about Messi's contract, with his current deal set to expire in the summer of 2021. Only a handful of clubs can afford to sign the Barcelona talisman even if the Catalan giants agree to let him go for free, as the 33-year-old is the highest-paid player in world football currently.
News about Messi's exit is sure to dominate the back pages in the coming weeks and the issue is unlikely to be resolved swiftly. However, as things stand, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner has decided to leave Barcelona this summer and it remains to be seen if a sensational transfer comes to fruition.
Here are five clubs that could sign Lionel Messi this summer ranked in the increasing order of likelihood.
#5 Stay at Barcelona
While Lionel Messi's decision to leave Barcelona is believed to be irreversible as things stand, it has been reported that Josep Maria Bartomeu's resignation could lead to a change of heart.
The Catalan club's president has come under immense scrutiny in recent seasons for his failure to make Barcelona a force to be reckoned with in Europe, while it has also been reported that he does not enjoy a good personal relationship with the players.
Once seen as the gold standard in Europe under Pep Guardiola, Barcelona look like a shadow of their former selves and are in complete disarray on and off the pitch. The Blaugrana are in desperate need of a rebuild and cannot afford to lose a talismanic figure like Messi, who is arguably the greatest footballer of all time.
Reports have emerged that Barcelona organized an emergency meeting yesterday to reevaluate the situation, with Bartomeu believed to be on the verge of an exit. If the situation changes swiftly in the coming days, Messi could also change his mind about an exit and commit his long-term future to Barcelona.
#4 Juventus
Over the years, Juventus have snapped up several high-profile players on free transfers, with Aaron Ramsey being their most recent acquisition last summer.
The prospect of signing Lionel Messi and pairing him up with arch-rivals Cristiano Ronaldo will not only take world football by storm, but also ensure that the deal goes down in the history books for changing the landscape of things in world football.
Messi and Ronaldo have won a staggering 11 Ballon d'Or awards between them and have consistently remained at the top of the game for over a decade, while their rivalry in La Liga shaped a new era in world football. Juventus are also in need of a rebuild, with Andrea Pirlo replacing Maurizio Sarri at the helm.
While Messi, at the age of 33, is probably not a long term solution, it is unfathomable to think that a club of Juventus' stature will not consider making a move for him, least of all if he's allowed to leave on a free transfer.
Also Read: 5 worst Barcelona managers of all time
#3 Paris Saint-Germain
Much like Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain are one of the richest clubs in world football, due to which they make the list of realistic destinations for Lionel Messi.
Bankrolled by Qatari billionaire Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the Parisian giants have been involved in several high-profile transfers in recent years, most notably in 2017 when they completed a stunning double deal for Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.
Winning the Ligue 1 has become the norm for Paris Saint-Germain, with the UEFA Champions League continuing to elude the club despite their best efforts. While the prospect of playing in France is unlikely to appeal to Messi, he could be the final piece in the jigsaw of PSG's European dream, as they look to finally get their hands on club football's biggest prize.
Additionally, Messi would be the face of the project alongside former teammate Neymar, with Mbappe completing what could be one of the most destructive trios in the history of the game.
However, any deal could be complicated due to his exorbitant wages, even for a club like PSG. Thomas Tuchel's side already have one of the biggest wage bills in world football currently and will be forced into making wholesale changes to their squad to accommodate Messi's extraordinary salary.
#2 Inter Milan
Inter Milan's interest in Lionel Messi dates as far back as 2006, when they nearly signed the then 18-year-old for a world-record deal worth €150 million. Barcelona were made aware by Inter that they were willing to trigger Messi's release clause, with the Argentine free to negotiate terms with the Serie A giants if the eye-watering fee was met.
However, Barcelona president Joan Laporta had no intention of parting with his prized asset, who he believed would become one of the greatest footballers of all time. The rest, as they say, is history, as Messi remained at the Camp Nou and cemented his status as a sporting icon.
Due to their long-standing interest, Inter have been linked with Messi over the years and could well make a move for the Argentine if Barcelona agree to let him walk for free.
Both Antonio Conte and Inter director Giuseppe Marotta addressed rumours of Messi joining Inter, as they referred to the situation as fantasy football. However, Conte, in particular, welcomed the idea of Messi joining the Nerazzurri.
"We're talking about fantasy football, situations that at the moment cannot be linked to Inter. For many reasons."
"I don't think there's a madman in the world who wouldn't want Messi. But that kind of situation really is very, very, very far from Inter, from what we are doing and what we are trying to build."
If Messi wins the legal battle with Barcelona and looks to secure a free transfer this summer, Inter are sure to be amongst the clubs interested in securing his signature.
#1 Manchester City
Since Sheikh Mansour acquired Manchester City in 2008, the Cityzens have enjoyed an astronomical rise and established themselves as one of the biggest clubs in world football.
Widely regarded as one of the wealthiest clubs in the land, Manchester City's free-spending and diligent planning behind the scenes has seen them achieve unwavering success over the past decade, whilst they also managed to attract some of the best players and managers around.
Noise about the Premier League giants making a move for Lionel Messi has been around for years and with Pep Guardiola at the helm, the Argentine has been heavily linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium.
The reliable Marcelo Bechler, who is believed to be amongst the first journalists to have broken the news that Messi is seeking an exit this summer, has announced that Messi wants to move to Manchester City this summer.
Aside from representing one of the most successful clubs in world football in recent years, the possibility of reuniting with Pep Guardiola could appeal to Messi, who at the age of 33 is approaching the twilight years of his career.
Additionally, the lure of the Premier League is also a tantalizing prospect, with the Argentine coming under scrutiny in recent years for spending the entirety of his playing career at Barcelona in La Liga.
Messi is arguably the greatest footballer in the history of the game and has nothing to prove at this stage of his career, but he could well be interested in taking up a fresh challenge in the Premier League.
As things stand, Manchester City are frontrunners for his signature if Messi does not reverse his decision to leave Barcelona this summer.
Also Read: 5 Barcelona stars who could be cast aside by Ronald Koeman
