'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Lionel Messi has left Barcelona. In news that shocked the footballing world, the Catalan club announced last night that the Argentine superstar was no longer a Barcelona player.
The 34-year old is Barcelona's greatest ever player and arguably the greatest of all time. Lionel Messi's departure has been a surprising development, given that reliable reports suggested the forward was set to sign a new deal with the club.
It remains to be seen what Messi's new destination will be. The usual suspects, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, have been linked with his signature. But they could face some competition as every top European club will be keen to sign Lionel Messi on a free transfer.
Trending
Here, we look at five players who could replace Lionel Messi at Barcelona.
#5 Ansu Fati | Barcelona
Ansu Fati is a prodigious young talent who has already had a sizeable impact at the senior level and is heralded by many to be Barcelona's future,
Ever since his emergence, Fati has been touted as Lionel Messi's heir. The 18-year old made his debut for the Camp Nou outfit in 2019. He also became Barcelona's youngest ever goalscorer when he scored his first professional goal in a 2-2 draw against Osasuna that year.
Since then, Fati has not looked back. In 43 appearances in all competitions for the Blaugrana, the Spain international has scored 13 goals and provided five assists. Last season was a disappointing one for Fati, as injuries saw the young star make only 10 appearances in all competitions. With Messi seemingly gone, the pressure on Fati's shoulders is only bound to increase.
#4 Memphis Depay | Barcelona
Barcelona's transfer record in recent years has been poor, to say the least. But signing Memphis Depay on a free transfer this summer could prove to be a masterstroke.
A highly-rated talent during his PSV Eindhoven days, Depay struggled to get going at Manchester United, eventually joining Lyon in January 2017. The Netherlands international was world-class for the Ligue 1 giants; in 178 appearances in all competitions, Depay scored 76 goals and provided 56 assists.
Given Depay's sensational form for Lyon, it was not surprising to see top European clubs circling the forward once more. Barcelona secured his signature earlier this summer, and the 27-year old could become the club's most important attacker next season in the absence of Lionel Messi.
#3 Lautaro Martinez | Inter Milan
Long linked with a move to Barcelona, Lautaro Martinez is once again dominating transfer headlines, with Arsenal said to be interested.
Martinez is one of the best young strikers in world football, and has been excellent for Inter Milan. The Argentina international joined the Serie A giants from Racing Club in 2018, and has made 132 appearances in all competitions for the club. In this time, Martinez has scored 49 goals and provided 20 assists.
The 23-year old was linked with Barcelona last summer, but stayed on to play an important role in Inter Milan's Serie A success last season. Martinez has now been linked with Arsenal in recent days. It remains to be seen whether Barcelona will have the finances to sign Martinez from the Nerazzurri as he will not come cheap.
#2 Harry Kane | Tottenham Hotspur
Now that Lionel Messi is a free agent, he has once again been linked with a move to Manchester City, managed by his ex-Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola.
Manchester City are in the market for a striker and Harry Kane has been their preferred target for a long time now. Kane wants to join Manchester City as well, but it would be highly understandable if the Cityzens decide to make a move for Messi on a free transfer.
All this leaves Kane in the lurch. The England international has made it clear he wants to leave Tottenham Hotspur, but Spurs will demand a nine-figure transfer fee for their talisman. The 28-year old is one of the best strikers in the world and one of the very few players who can come close to matching Lionel Messi's standards. If Barcelona choose to sign him, he could prove to be an extremely valuable asset and the goalscoring forward they sorely need in attack.
#1 Erling Haaland | Borussia Dortmund
Erling Braut Haaland is the best young striker in world football, and one of the best forwards in the world at the moment.
Borussia Dortmund know the value of their star player. The Norway international has been the Bundesliga giants' best player since joining the club in January 2020. Haaland has since made 59 appearances in all competitions, scoring 57 goals and providing 15 assists.
The Norway international is a bonafide superstar. Haaland and Kylian Mbappe are seen by many as heirs to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's throne. With Mbappe looking certain to join Real Madrid some time in the future, Haaland could be Barcelona's headline future signing.
However, like Martinez and Kane, Barcelona will have to pay an eye-watering amount of money to sign him. The Catalan club's precarious financial situation has been well-documented and will be a major hurdle if they choose to go after Haaland.
Also Read: 5 most creative players in the world right now
