Lionel Messi’s agents have reportedly made contact with a number of teams including Chelsea and Man Utd to gauge their interest in securing the services of the Barcelona skipper.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winning forward will be out of contract at the Catalan club this summer, and his future beyond that stays unclear following another disappointing season for Barcelona.
Messi attempted to depart from the club last year, only to be forced into a U-turn against his will, however, a change in the presidency has increased the possibility of him choosing to stay.
However, Barcelona suffered another chastening Champions League exit in 2020-21 and are now guaranteed to finish outside the top two in La Liga for the first time since 2007-08 following their seventh league defeat of the season at the weekend.
The Manchester Evening News claims that Barcelona have offered Messi fresh terms on a significantly reduced wage following to the financial troubles exacerbated due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The 33-year-old forward has not yet ruled out staying with the club he has represented his entire career, however, the report suggests that his agents have begun reaching out to the team in order to explore his options.
The Citizens and PSG are understood to be leading the race for his services given the enormous financial outlay it would take to sign Messi, even without a transfer fee.
However, the report suggests that Chelsea and Man Utd have also been approached to determine whether they would be interested in the Argentine icon.
The Red Devils are expected to pass up the opportunity following to their transfer priorities lying elsewhere
