In a recent report, Manchester Evening News has revealed that Manchester City are weighing up a move for Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi next summer. It is believed that the Mancunian outfit are ready to position themselves to sign the Argentine international when his contract at the Nou Camp expires at the end of this campaign (via Manchester Evening News).
Messi’s Majestic Influence At The Nou Camp
The South American sensation has already made a significant impact for the Catalans this season after netting one goal and providing two assists in three matches for them in league football. The 33-year-old was also at his sparkling best for his boyhood club in the previous campaign when he banged in 31 goals and grabbed 26 assists in 44 appearances on all fronts.
Messi has carried the Barca attack on his back over the past year (and the last decade) as he averaged 4.8 shots, 2.7 key passes and 5.5 dribbles per 90 minutes in the 2019-20 La Liga season. He was relatively tidy with his ball-distribution in the offensive end of the pitch after completing 82.6% of his attempted passes in the Spanish first division last season (stats via whoscored).
With the Argentine skipper’s contract with Barca set to run out at the end of this campaign, joining Man City could be an attractive proposition for him to consider next summer. Messi will be able to link up with his former boss Pep Guardiola which might give him a chance to earn more trophies before he decides to hang up his playing boots in the coming years.
What Does The Argentine Goal-Getter Bring To The Table?
Messi has defied his age in terms of his pace and goal-scoring for the Catalans in recent seasons. He is still a regular goal-scorer and prolific assist-maker at the Nou Camp with Ronald Koeman depending a lot on his attacking contributions this season. However, the Argentine has had a fractured relationship with the Spanish club over the past few years, so next summer could be his ideal chance to seal a move elsewhere in search of a new adventure in the latter stages of his career.
What Should Ronald Koeman Do Next Summer?
Koeman has currently got Antoine Griezmann, Ansu Fati, Ousmane Dembélé, Francisco Trincão and Martin Braithwaite vying for a first-team place at Catalonia. However, none of them are good enough to replace Messi if he decides to part ways with the club at the end of this campaign.
Hence, Koeman should consider investing a lot of money on new acquisitions. As things stand, it doesn’t seem like he will be able to convince Messi into penning a new deal. Either way, the Barca supporters will have to be patient with their team as they will be going through a period of transition once Messi decides to leave in the future.