Chelsea Transfer News: Lionel Messi Exit Rumours Emerge, Carlos Badal Tracked

The transfer rumour mill throws up more than its fair share of outlandish reports, and this season's consistent talks of a potential exit for Lionel Messi from Barcelona do not seem to be letting up.

Recent comments from Barca presidential candidate Agusti Benedito have sparked reports of a summer move for the Argentine superstar to Chelsea for £200 million, per Metro's Jamie Sanderson. 

Benedito suggested that despite consistent reassurances to the contrary by current president Josep Maria Bartomeu, per Sky Sports, Messi may not be completely happy at the Camp Nou, per Ben Hayward on Goal.com:

"

Messi has had really big offers from teams in different countries. [...]

It would be a mistake to sell Messi or to provoke him into deciding to join another club. Let's hope that doesn't happen. Messi is the best player in the world and surely the best player in history. He is a fundamental part of Barcelona over the next few years. 

"

However, Benedito also believes Messi wants to end his career at Barca, and barring a major change in fortune for the Catalan giants, he will likely do just that.

Messi's talents are well documented, his goalscoring record is quite incredible—this season he has 26 league goals, per WhoScored.com—and he would be an outstanding addition to any squad in the world.

Should he ever become available, Chelsea are a big enough club and have the significant financial clout to be a realistic destination for the 27-year-old.

Indeed, L'Equipe recently mocked him up in a Chelsea shirt as they speculated as to how the Premier League's new £5 billion television deal may effect the European football landscape, per AFP's Tom Williams:

The reality is, however, that Messi will be going nowhere come the summer, not even to Chelsea, and he will likely continue at Barca for some years yet.

In more realistic Chelsea transfer news, the Blues are reportedly eager to sign up Valencia teenager Carlos Badal.

The 15-year-old centre-back impressed Chelsea scouts at a recent youth tournament, and the Mirror's John Cross reports an offer for the Spaniard is imminent from the west London outfit.

Clearly, should Chelsea sign Badal, it would be some time before he made an impression on the first team.

But central defence is an area where the Blues could soon be short, with John Terry reaching the end of his career and Gary Cahill worryingly inconsistent, per 101 Great Goals:

The 20-year-old Kurt Zouma looks to be moving up the pecking order at Chelsea having arrived at Stamford Bridge in January 2014.

If Badal does indeed switch to Chelsea and make good on his potential, he and Zouma could be the Chelsea central defensive partnership of the future.