5 superstars who will be available for free in 2018

#1 Lionel Messi

Will he quit Barca for pastures new?Will he quit Barca for pastures new?

Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest footballer of the generation, has been at Barcelona since the age of 11 and has won several accolades during his illustrious career. He has been integral to Barca's golden generation and has won 30 trophies and 5 Ballon d'Or titles having appeared 600 times for the club having scored 523 goals to go with 198 assists.

Messi's contract at Barca is up next summer and he will be able to negotiate with others in just over a month's time. Though a contract has been agreed upon and Barca's boardroom staff has time and again emphasised that there is no need to panic and Messi will sign the new deal but there is a growing concern among Cules that there prized asset might leave them next summer.

Though seeing Messi in any shirt other than Barcelona's is highly unlikely, but the fact that he has not yet signed a new deal does indicate that everything is not well. There have been tensions in the past between Barcelona board and Messi with him once publically coming out and accusing the then Barcelona director Javier Faus of "knowing nothing" and Barca's recent disastrous showing in the transfer market to strengthen the squad have reportedly left him fuming.

If one day he does decide to leave, he will certainly not be devoid of any suitors and the packages and lucrative deals on offer from the likes of PSG and Man City can make the heads turn of any individual.