According to the latest odds by Sky Bet (via Manchester Evening News), Manchester City are the joint favorites to sign Barcelona forward Lionel Messi who is set to become a free agent at the end of this campaign. Sky Bet has priced both Man City and Paris Saint-Germain at 2/1 to acquire the services of the Argentine superstar on a free transfer this summer (via Manchester Evening News).
Messi’s Excellent Numbers At The Nou Camp This Season
Messi is having another outstanding season at the Nou Camp as he has put in several influential displays as a key component of Ronald Koeman’s attack. The 33-year-old has registered 38 goals and 14 assists in 47 matches for the Catalan outfit this term across all fronts.
The Argentine sensation has been remarkably consistent with his attacking contributions this season based on his average of 5.7 shots, 2.4 key passes and 4.6 dribbles per game in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League this season. He has even been tidy when distributing the ball out from the back, as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 85.7% in both those competitions (stats via whoscored).
At 33, Messi has shown no signs of slowing down as far as his goal-scoring and assist-making skills are concerned as he remains one of the most feared attackers in world football. Hence, he could be a massive coup for Man City if they can find a way to convince him to seal a move to the Etihad Stadium this summer.
Will Messi Be The Right Choice For Man City This Summer?
Messi is still a quick and agile forward who loves to complete some eye-catching dribbles in the opposition half. He is an unforgiving finisher in the attacking third and can even set up some decent goal-scoring chances for others around him. The Rosario-born talent is quite versatile as well as he can operate in any position across the frontline.
The 142-time Argentina international will be a dream choice for Man City this summer as he will be available as a free agent and would improve the quality of Pep Guardiola’s attacking department considerably for the coming seasons. Plus, Messi could potentially form a lethal attacking partnership with Kevin De Bruyne that will strike fear at the heart of any Premier League defender over the next few years.
The Barca maestro will be a great short-term option for Guardiola to consider this summer as he could help Man City sustain their stranglehold in both domestic and European competitions. Even though father time is catching up with Messi’s game, yet he might still have a lot to offer at the highest level.
