Photo via Sky Sports
The football world was recently rocked by speculation that Lionel Messi is looking to leave Barcelona this summer.
It follows the Catalan side's humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, which is believed to have been the final straw for the Argentine, who's long been calling for changes at the club.
If the rumours are true, this would be the most closely-watched and potentially costliest transfer football has seen in recent years, involving one of the sports' biggest names.
But it also leads to the question: Where would Messi go?
Despite his obvious talent on the pitch, the superstar has an eye-watering 700 million-euro release clause in his contract, and weekly wages in excess of half a million Euros A WEEK.
Such figures will surely keep potential suitors away.
Realistically, Messi's options are very limited if he wants an immediate exit. Here, we take a look at several possibilities.
Photo via Sportsnet
PSG
The French champions are obvious candidates, being one of football's wealthiest clubs.
A move to Paris would also see Messi reuniting with Neymar and linking up with Kylian Mbappe - drawing comparisons to the lethal Messi-Suarez-Neymar combination at the Nou Camp.
One big reason a move to PSG would not work, is Ligue 1's lack of prestige and competitiveness compared to La Liga or the Premier League.
Photo via Bleacher Report
Manchester City
Speaking of the Premier League, a move to Man City wouldn't seem so far-fetched for Messi.
The biggest draw at the Etihad would be a reunion with his former manager Pep Guardiola, with whom he's won so many trophies at Barca.
The prospect of playing in arguably the best league in the world would be another plus point.
Financially, though, City's pockets may not be as deep as PSG's.
There are also some who feel that Messi is starting to show signs of slowing down, and may not be able to cope with the breakneck pace of the EPL week in and week out.
Photo via CNBC
Barcelona
Perhaps the best option would be for Messi to remain at Barcelona.
The club is home, the fans adore him, and the hierarchy is happy for squads to be built around him.
There's also renewed optimism at the Nou Camp following the sacking of Quique Setien, with players and supporters hoping that whoever comes in next will help bring about a fresh new start for the club.
Finally, there is one (very important) reason Messi is likely to remain with Barca in 2020/2021: the running clause in his contract allowing him to leave for free at the end of every campaign, expired on May 30th.
But if he's willing to wait out one more season, Messi will once again be able to leave for absolutely nothing next year, opening up many more options for him.
by Nicholas Darren John
