Can Barcelona sign a player like Lionel Messi in today's age?

: Ronaldinho celebrates with Lionel Messi after scoring a goal during a Spanish League match between Real Madrid and F.C. Barcelona at the Bernabeu on November 19, 2005 in Madrid.

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In a recent interview to Spanish daily sport newspaper Marca, Lionel Messi who had been at Barcelona since 14 years, insisted how crucial the club was while he was growing not just as a player, but a human being.

“What I learnt at Barcelona made me what I am,” said three-times FIFA Ballon d'Or winner. “I arrived as a kid and grew up here. The values of La Masia shaped me as a person. What I learnt at the club made me what I am.”

Messi hailed from Rosario, and started showing interest in the game since he was five. He was eventually enrolled into the Newell’s Old Boys roster before he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency which cost $900 a month then for medical treatment. His local club tried to help him out with his medical bills, but when they had decided they were not able to afford it further more, Barcelona stepped in.

He was 13 when he had signed for the club, after being offered a contract written on a paper napkin by then sporting director for Barcelona, Carles Rexach, and within three years of time, he was in the first team.

A transfer ban over two windows was recently imposed on Barcelona in March, and their appeal against it was recently rejected last week which now prevents them to sign any players in the next two transfer windows.

Why are they facing the ban?

Barcelona were found to have breached rules related to the signing of international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18 during the period of 2009 to 2013 in relation to 10 players.

Players who are under the age of 18 will only be allowed to move to a different country under three conditions:

• If their parents move there for reasons not related to football.

• If they are from another nation within the European Union or European Economic Area.

• If they live within a 100 km from the club.

Logically, FIFA cannot have a say on when young players move to places like Spain or England to train with bigger clubs. However, this rule is in existence only to prevent clubs from luring parents into forcing their kids to train in countries far away to prevent situations where a family would be stuck in a foreign country without any source of income if their child fails to prove his mettle.

Trainees arrive at La Masia which is said to be holding more than 300 young players under their wing.

Could Barcelona have signed Lionel Messi in this era?

The answer is no. And, yes.

Back then when Messi had signed for Barcelona, this rule didn’t exist. However, like in the case of 12-year-old Joshua Pynadath who was enrolled into the Real Madrid academy after going through two trials last year. Pynadath, who is of Indian origin, was based in the United States. But, ahead of his move to the club, his father surprisingly secured a job in Madrid, and thus cleared the way for his son’s transfer.

So, it isn’t like clubs, especially the ones with the stature of Real Madrid and Barcelona, will never be able to find loopholes in these policies, so it would be apt to say that a move like that of Lionel Messi can go through again, given the clubs keep their record book clean.