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Lionel Messi rumors: 8 potential landing spots if Messi leaves Barcelona

By Alicia de Artola

Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match between FC Barcelona and Napoli at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on August 8, 2020. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP) (Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images)
Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match between FC Barcelona and Napoli at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on August 8, 2020. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP) (Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Lionel Messi is on his way out of Barcelona. Where could he land next?

It’s often tough to imagine icons of sport in another jersey than the one they dominated in for years. That’s doubly true for Lionel Messi, who is reportedly on the verge of leaving long-time club Barcelona.

Then again, NFL fans are about to get used to Tom Brady in a Tampa Bay Buccaneers jersey. NBA fans have seen Lebron James swap colors multiple times. Even soccer fans just watched Cristiano Ronaldo trade in his Real Madrid kit for one from Juventus.

Now it’s Messi’s turn.

Which clubs have the best shot to sign Lionel Messi?

Almost as soon as the first reports of Messi’s request to leave Barcelona hit the wire, speculation over where he could land began.

CBS Sports reported Sports Line’s odds with a few favorites already lining up.

Manchester City (+275)

The biggest hurdle toward signing Messi, for most clubs, will be money. Manchester City has no such concerns. The club has splashed cash left and right since being taken over by a private equity group from Abu Dhabi in 2008. City has the finances to get it done. They also have plenty of incentive with Pep Guardiola, who managed Messi in Barcelona, still seeking a first Champions League title for MCFC.

Inter Milan (+333)

If Messi wants to resume his rivalry with Ronaldo, a swap to Inter Milan would certainly make things interesting. Inter has Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez, an attack that got them to the Europa League final. Messi will have grander ambitions than that, but those are strong pieces to work with and he’d instantly turn Inter into a contender going forward.

Juventus (+1000)

If you can’t beat him, join him? Juventus already have to juggle a massive wage bill with Ronaldo on the books, but the prospect of adding Messi could be too tempting to pass up. A Messi-Ronaldo pairing would be stunning to behold, even if it feels like a pipedream.

PSG (+1200)

PSG proved they were willing to pay big bucks for a Barcelona star when they grabbed Neymar from the Camp Nou. As much as the world would love to see a lineup including Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, affording that trio would be a major challenge for the French giants. But if rumors of Mbappé looking elsewhere are true, then maybe this would be the perfect time for PSG to make another big splash.

Liverpool (+1300)

Consider this link a tip of the hat to the draw of Jürgen Klopp. If the reasons for Messi’s departure from Barcelona are tied to frustration over the internal mishandling of the club, he could hardly find a more well-oiled machine than Liverpool. The Reds won a Champions League and Premier League title on the strength of Klopp’s leadership, effective scouting and development, and an overall club unity. The trouble is, Liverpool won’t come close to matching his requirements financially.

Newell’s Old Boys (+1600)

If Liverpool don’t have the finances to make a move work, there’s no way Newell’s Old Boys could make it happen. But boyhood loyalty is the only thing that could conceivably beat out money. Messi came up through the youth ranks with the Argentinian side. If he wants to go back to his roots, Rosario is where he’d go.

MLS (+2000)

Pick an MLS club. Any MLS club. Messi wouldn’t be the first European giant to cash in on his name and talents in the American league. David Beckham and Steven Gerrard did it with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Thierry Henry did it with the New York Red Bulls. David Villa and Frank Lampard did it with New York City FC. Kaka did it with Orlando City. Messi would be the biggest yet.

Manchester United (+2500)

Manchester United would be loathed to let Messi end up with their rival Manchester City or any Premier League club for that matter. They don’t have the same level of financial firepower as the Citizens, but they’re not too far behind. If they want to make a statement of intent, it couldn’t get bigger than signing such a big name.

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