Lionel Messi Next Club Odds: Will The Ballon d’Or Winner Move On From Miami?
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Lionel Messi recently won a record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or, becoming the first ever player based outside Europe to win the prize, but UK betting sites believe he might not end his career in the United States.
Messi joined Inter Miami in MLS earlier this year after a largely disappointing two-year spell at Paris Saint-Germain.
After winning the World Cup with Argentina in 2022, the legendary forward’s career looked to be complete.
But despite turning 36 in June, Messi feels he has a few more years left in him before hanging up his boots.
Where might the Argentine end up if he does have one more transfer in him in January? Check out the latest betting odds below.
Barcelona Return Most Likely Option
Barcelona did not want to lose Messi in 2021 - or at least that is what they said publicly.
In truth it was no longer financially sustainable for a debt-ridden club to continue paying such an astronomical salary to their greatest ever player who, despite his ongoing brilliance, was no longer operating at the peak of his powers.
There were rumours that Barcelona would seek to re-sign Messi last summer, but in the end the attacker chose a new chapter with Inter Miami.
It is hard to decipher whether the Blaugrana seriously wanted Messi to return, or whether they were just seeking to keep up appearances.
That question has become relevant once more as Barcelona are the 3/1 favourites with football betting sites to sign Messi in January.
This transfer would please football romantics, but it still seems unlikely.
Messi will be 37 next year and Xavi Hernandez would have to significantly change the structure of his side in order to fit his former team-mate in.
Inter And Manchester City A Distant Second
Inter and Manchester City are next in line with Pairmatch, albeit at lengthy odds of 20/1.
The Nerazzurri have been linked with Messi in the past and they would no doubt seriously consider a swoop for the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner were he to be available at the beginning of 2024.
Still, it is hard to see this one happening. Messi only recently committed to Inter Miami having decided that the time was right to leave European football behind.
A U-turn within months is difficult to envisage.
That also means a transfer to Manchester City is improbable. Messi established himself as a true world-class star under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola, who would no doubt find the prospect of working with him again tantalising.
However, Messi’s athletic capabilities have diminished and that would perhaps be problematic for his former manager.
Five Premier League Clubs Given Equal Chance Of Signing
There are no fewer than five Premier League clubs priced at 25/1 with BetVictor - Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United.
Curiously, Chelsea - the English team that has been happiest to splash the cash of late - are not listed.
Manchester United are in need of a pick-me-up after a disappointing start to the season.
But the signing of a past-his-best Cristiano Ronaldo did not ultimately work out and the club would surely have serious reservations about making a move for Messi.
As for Liverpool, the 36-year-old is not exactly a natural fit for a hard-pressing outfit, while Mohamed Salah is irremovable on the right of the attack.
Tottenham, for their part, would struggle to afford Messi’s wages, while it is not the sort of move one could imagine Arsenal making right now.
Newcastle are seeking to become a European force and the arrival of Messi would undoubtedly raise the club’s profile.
But the Magpies have largely avoided marquee signings since they were in effect bought by Saudi Arabia.
Could Juventus Or Bayern Munich Tempt Messi?
The other three options according to bookies are Bayern Munich, Juventus and AC Milan, all of whom are priced at 25/1 with betting apps.
Bayern are generally smart operators in the transfer market and paying a huge amount of money to Messi would not fit in with their approach.
Harry Kane is the leader of Thomas Tuchel’s attack and that will not change any time soon.
Juventus would be wary of signing Messi following Ronaldo’s time in Turin.
The Portugal international had a fantastic scoring record with the Bianconeri, but the team went backwards in terms of its Champions League record.
That will probably put Juve off, plus they are not in Europe this term.
Messi will surely not end up at AC Milan either. Wages would be a problem, and this move just does not look to be on the radar on any level.
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