Chelsea Transfer News: Lionel Messi Ready to Quit Barcelona in Latest Rumours

Lionel Messi is ready to quit Barcelona and head to Chelsea, according to Anthony Kastrinakis of The Sun (subscription required).

Kastrinakis believes the Argentinian star "is ready to listen if Chelsea or Manchester City offer a staggering £500 million package." The Sun also printed this story as headline news on Friday morning, noted by 101 Great Goals:

"

Leo Messi will cost Chelsea or Man City £500m [Sun] http://t.co/Lrgl36pRov pic.twitter.com/VGEnTNz0BH

— 101 Great Goals (@101greatgoals) January 9, 2015"

Justifying a £500 million deal is extremely difficult. A potential buyer would likely have to stump up Messi's £200 million buyout clause and offer an extortionate signing on fee to reach the mark Kastrinakis focuses on. Unthinkable wages of £600,000 per week across six years would still only take the total cost to just below £400 million, so such a deal would likely be both complex and costly.

Kastrinakis wrote the "disillusioned" Messi could receive "a six-year contract and wages that could top £270 million elsewhere, taking any switch to £480 million."

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

It's likely he is referencing sponsorship money from companies such as Adidas—who have previously been linked with helping Chelsea to pay for the player, per Pete Jenson of the MailOnline—as it's improbable the Blues would pay such a headline fee on their own.

While Messi's departure still appears unlikely—he noted he wishes to remain at the Camp Nou "forever" in November, per Marca (h/t Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC)—UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules could make his exit nigh on impossible.

Spanish football expert and Messi biographer Guillem Balague believes the player is closer to exiting than he ever has been before. Even so, he told B/R UK's Ryan Bailey this means very little:

Turmoil at Barca continues to tick along. Luis Enrique's decision to drop Messi for the recent loss to Real Sociedad was followed by the player following Chelsea on Instagram and then missing Monday's training session, per Rajvir Rai of the MailOnline. He was recalled for Thursday's 5-0 Copa del Rey thrashing of Elche, a match which saw him net the third goal from the penalty spot.

Former Barca star and current Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas told Al Primer Toque on Onda Cero (h/t AS) that such an action shouldn't be read into:

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Leo is happy at Barça and Barça are happy with him. All of this is simpler and more normal than what has been mounted with Leo following Chelsea on Instagram. Messi started to follow me out of respect I guess, I also currently follow other teams.

"

David Ramos/Getty Images

The sacking of Barca sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta and resignation of his assistant, former club captain Carles Puyol, places further spotlight on the club. Jenson noted Enrique's future is up for discussion at board level, while the Daily Star's Paul Brown believes the manager has become "isolated." Quashing Messi's influence is likely to intensify this feeling.

Kastrinakis' report isn't only noteworthy due to the fee involved. The suggestion that Messi is deliberately angling to leave pushes speculation along and indicates he may have grown tired of the Blaugrana. Comments from former Barca assistant Henk ten Cate, however, suggest he has a personal obligation to remain with the club.

Ten Cate believes Messi made a promise to former boss Tito Vilanova prior to his death in April 2014, as reported by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf (h/t Stefan Coerts of Goal.com):

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As far as I know, these problems all started about two years ago. Messi is only still at Barcelona because he promised it to Tito Vilanova at his deathbed.

But I think a transfer would be in everybody's best interest. Lionel has been at Barcelona for quite a while and he needs a new challenge. He's still worth a lot of money now, but his value will only go down from here on.

"

David Ramos/Getty Images

Such a story will continue to gather momentum while the January transfer window progresses. It's likely the truth of the matter will fall someway down the middle of reports. Messi could be forgiven for feeling restless at Barca—especially with the club's year-long transfer ban kicking in—but the player has given no public indication he is ready to move on.

Until he does, suggestions of a record-breaking transfer should remain something of a dream for supporters of Chelsea, City and the world's richest clubs.