4 clubs who can afford to dream of signing Lionel Messi

It may be seriously pushing the realms of possibility, but there is a glimmer of a chance that Lionel Messi will not be a Barcelona player next season. Reported rifts between himself and novice Barca coach, Luis Enrique, have prompted a frenzy of speculation that Messi has become disillusioned with life at the Camp Nou and is entertaining the thought of leaving the club he has been with since he was 11.Messi himself has played his part in stoking the fires by admitting doubts over who he will line-up for next season and, as such, it is highly unlikely that the transfer columns will stop dining out on this particular story for a while. Messi was asked in Zurich before the Ballon d’Or ceremony, at which he finished second to Cristiano Ronaldo, whether he would be interested in playing at another club, having also turned out, as a youth, for Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina.“I am not sure If I will go back to Newell’s Old Boys one day,” he said. “I am not sure where I will be next year. I have always said that I will end my career at Barcelona but as Cristiano said: ‘Only God knows the future.’ Things in football can change overnight.”Of course, among the myriad complexities of any potential transfer for the four-time Ballon d’Or winner is the gargantuan cost. The substantial financial implications of any deal for the Argentine indefinitely rules out a return to his boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys (that is probably going to happen later in his career).Only the genuine heavyweights of the world game can truly dream of securing one of the most gifted players to ever play the game.

#1 Paris-Saint Germain

Will Messi be reunited with Ibrahimovic at PSG?

There are no secrets here. The Parisienne outfit are as ambitious as they come and they have had no qualms in openly expressing their interest for Messi. Backed by the financial clout of Qatar Investment Authority, PSG have always been high on the list of potential suitors should Messi ever decide to leave Barcelona.

PSG’s playmaker and Messi’s compatriot, Javier Pastore, claimed that ‘money would not be a problem for the club’ should he become available and that they would be primed to pounce before anyone else. However, the constraints of Financial Fair Play dictate that there would have to be a significant injection of money from sold players to balance the books. PSG would be willing to offload Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi in order to make space for Messi.

With that duo leaving the Parc de Princes, Messi would immediately be installed in the line-up as Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s partner. The two were not always on the same wavelength during the Swedish striker’s two years at Barcelona, but it is still a mouth-watering attacking duo to strike fear into the hearts of any defence.

If Messi is looking for a fresh challenge, he may look to take Ligue 1 by storm. However, despite the ability to offer a lucrative contract and Champions League football, PSG may not be the most appealing option for Messi as the Premier League.

#2 Chelsea

Will Lionel Messi replace Didier Drogba?

Chelsea and Messi make for an interesting story. Jose Mourinho’s men are undoubtedly the Premier League's deadliest force at the moment and Messi may have been impressed by the quality of their football, if he watched them earlier in the season.

Messi voting for Jose Mourinho in the FIFA Coach of the Year suggests the Argentine goal-machine has a deep admiration for the Portuguese tactician, despite his affiliation with Barca's arch-nemesis Real Madrid. The fact that Messi holds Mourinho in such high esteem could potentially be decisive if Messi decides the Premier League is the appropriate destination for him.

Additionally, Messi remains close friends with Blues playmaker Cesc Fabregas and there is talk that Messi may be keen to link-up with the Spaniard once again.

Financially speaking, the transfer could be problematic for Chelsea as they have spent largely in recent windows on Diego Costa and Fabregas. However, Roman Abramovich has always shown a willingness to make space for trophy signings (Fernando Torres, Andriy Shevchenko) and may look to stun Stamford Bridge with a breathtaking swoop for Messi.

In terms of fitting Messi in, Chelsea appear the most attractive candidate. Mourinho favours playing one striker (Costa) with a trident of creative forces behind him. Currently, they are Eden Hazard, Oscar and Willian but Messi would easily replace any of the three, with Willian being the most likely sacrificial lamb.

Hazard and Messi in the same team is an exciting for prospect fans and one that Abramovich may push hard to make reality.

#3 Manchester City

Will Messi be reunited with his Argentine strike partner?

The Premier League champions are always going to included in a potential transfer tug-of-war for a global superstar but is it really feasible? Messi will lead Barcelona against the Blue half of Manchester in February when the two sides meet in the last-16 of the Champions League, but it would be imprudent to bill it as an audition for Messi. He doesn’t need auditions, and certainly will not give any.

However, City have recently been punished for breaching Financial Fair Play regulations and bringing Messi in would surely signal several players leaving the club. Players like Samir Nasri, Edin Dzeko and Stefan Jovetic – who occupy a substantial portion of City’s wage bill – may have to be sold in order to make room for Messi.

City will be minded of the importance of keeping their main man, Sergio Aguero, though as he may hold the key to Messi’s arrival. A move to Manuel Pellegrini’s team would see the Argentine link up with his compatriot in a wonderful attacking line-up.

At £38 million, Aguero remains City’s most expensive player ever. But Sheikh Mansour may be tempted into breaking the bank for a world-record transfer for the first time.

#4 Manchester United

Messi’s first choice in the 2014 FIFA Ballon D’Or was Angel Di Maria

Manchester United may not be near the peak of their powers and have been languishing in relative mediocrity since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. But thanks to the superior business acumen of executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, their financial muscle can be flexed at will. Recent analyses from football finance experts claim that United are, in fact, the only team that can afford to sign Messi without a mass exodus of talent.

United will be soon reaping the rewards from a lucrative kit deal with Adidas, due to start next year. And this extra injection of funds make signing Messi a financial reality. An essential criteria for Messi is Champions League football though a failure to secure a top-four finish this season will surely render the deal impossible.

Louis van Gaal’s tactical tinkering means that the club would surely not have any qualms in re-shaping their formation to fit Messi. Also, just as the prospect of joining Aguero at City may excite Messi, so too would the chance to play alongside Angel Di Maria, who he voted for as the best player of 2014 in the recent Ballon d’Or polling.

In addition, recent reports have surfaced suggesting that Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie are potentially headed for the exit door at Old Trafford unless their form improves drastically, so there would definitely be space for Messi.