The Portuguese manager has dismissed the press speculation about a possible transfer bid for the Barcelona player.
José Mourinho has brushed aside the rumours growing around Lionel Messi’s future, denying any truth in the links between the Argentine superstar and Chelsea.
Mourinho on Messi link: “Obviously it’s not true.”
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) November 28, 2014
Messi’s father dropped hints about his son’s future several weeks ago, producing waves of rumours linking the superstar to various clubs, the latest of which has been Chelsea.
The logic linking the Barcelona star with the Bridge is sound, if tenuous. There are various theories about Messi’s desire for a ‘new challenge’, how we wants to raise his son in England and his girlfriend’s friendship with Cesc Fabregas’ spouse.
These aren’t nearly as convincing as Messi’s potential financial reasons behind the deal: aligning his sponsorship with Adidas, who also sponsor Chelsea and avoiding the Spanish tax authorities who continue to pester him.
The reality is however, that FFP means that the striker is essentially unbuyable. He would realistically cost £200m, with colossal wages, and Chelsea could not afford that without selling off half of their first team.
It seems more likely that the whole affair has been fabricated by the press, and that in reality Messi will stay in Barcelona until much later in his career, when perhaps he will go and play out the rest of his days at his old club, Newell’s Old Boys.