Speculation continues to raise doubts over Lionel Messi’s future at Barcelona, and it appears as though there are three clubs keeping a close eye on how the situation develops.
Following their bitterly disappointing campaign and the upheaval that has since followed, it appears as though it’s going to be a pivotal summer for the Catalan giants this year.
SEE MORE: Ronald Koeman sets sights on first Barcelona signing as top target touted
Reports from Spain noted on Thursday that Messi has hinted at the possibility of questioning his involvement in new boss Ronald Koeman’s plans moving forward, thus opening up the question, where could he move to if he did indeed decide to leave Barcelona?
As noted by Calciomercato, via the paper edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, it’s reiterated that Messi is reflecting on his future and could consider an exit from the Camp Nou, while Inter, Man City and Paris Saint-Germain are the three clubs who are all paying attention to the situation.
It’s added that Inter, backed by wealthy owners Suning, could be plotting a way of making the move work for them, but there is no suggestion that talks or any agreements have been reached with either Barcelona or Messi as of yet and so there is a long way to go before talk of a departure really heats up.
Nevertheless, Man City and PSG are arguably the only other two clubs in Europe that could not only afford a potentially mammoth transfer fee but also the wages involved in signing the Argentine icon, and so it remains to be seen if either of the three clubs in question can pull off what would be a shock acquisition this summer.
There is of course the possibility that Messi buys into Koeman’s plan and remains a fundamental part of Barcelona’s pursuit of success, but the 33-year-old knows that this is a critical decision at this stage of his career.