Future Options for Barcelona Star Lionel Messi

Could the unthinkable actually happen and Lionel Messi be allowed to walk out of the Camp Nou this summer?

As Pete Jenson in the Daily Mail reports, there has been mounting speculation that Messi and Barcelona’s 15-year relationship could be about to end.

On the brink of the best years of his career, what are Messi’s options?

FC Barcelona

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The best and most obvious option for Lionel Messi is to remain right where he is at his beloved Barcelona.

In time he would regret bolting at the first sign of trouble in what has been a career of unprecedented success. 

The stakes are also too high for Barcelona to contemplate allowing arguably football’s greatest-ever player to leave.

If, as the Daily Mail has reported, Messi has fallen out with Luis Enrique, then the easiest solution could be for them to part with their manager instead.

Manchester City

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Since Sheikh Mansour took charge of Manchester City in the summer of 2008 and flooded the club with unimaginable new riches, they have always wanted to bring a genuine world superstar to the Etihad Stadium.

They quickly grabbed Robinho, who has since been followed by more successful spells from Carlos Tevez, Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure, but they still want to see a real football icon at City.

Messi would obviously fit the bill, and City would naturally be interested in offering him an escape route to the Premier League.

But it is doubtful whether playing out his days in Manchester would strongly appeal to Messi.

Bayern Munich

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Could the prospect of reuniting with his former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola in the Bundesliga appeal to Messi?

For four glorious years, Messi produced the best football of his career under Guardiola, and he would immediately fit in to his former mentor’s system at Bayern Munich.

The only problem is, Bayern Munich might be Germany’s richest club, but their most expensive ever signing is Mario Gotze for £31.5 million in 2013, so Messi’s buyout clause of €250 million would be beyond them.

Paris Saint-Germain

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In December 2013, Le Parisien, via John Drayton of the Daily Mail, reported Paris Saint-Germain were prepared to pay Lionel Messi’s buyout clause. 

Thirteen months later, the French champions could be prepared to exploit these new reports of Messi being unsettled at Barcelona. 

As Paris Saint-Germain’s Javier Pastore said in the Daily Mirror, “If Messi was to leave Barcelona, then our owners will be on hand to strike a deal. Money is not a problem as this club has the resources to buy any number of Lionel Messis.”

Leaving Barcelona for anywhere would signify a step down for Messi, but a move to the ambitious French champions could appeal.