Will Lionel Messi move on from Barcelona? Manchester City favourites for transfer window move
Manchester City and Inter Milan have both been backed to make a move for Barcelona star Lionel Messi in the transfer window.
City now find themselves as 9/4 favourites to secure Messi's signature in the transfer window, while the Serie A side are next best at odds of 3/1.
PSG have also been thrown into the mix with their price reduced to 8/1, while Newell's Old Boys, where Messi started his youth career, are into 16/1.
Inter's price has seen drastic movement, with 16/1 available on a move happening last week. City have been more fancied though and a Pep Guardiola/Messi reunion is seen as the likeliest outcome in the market.
The change comes following Barcelona's humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in their Champions League quarter-final meeting on Friday night.
Barca defender Pique hinted at big changes at the club following their defeat in Lisbon. He told the media: "We’ve hit rock bottom. Shameful. We all need to reflect.
"The club needs changes, I’m not talking about the coach or the players. The team needs changes, it’s not the first, second or third time. Fresh blood is needed."
Despite having a quiet evening by his usual high standards, Messi has still enjoyed another standout season. The 33-year-old scored 31 goals and assisted a further 26 in 44 games across all competitions.
The forward has spent his entire career at Barcelona, making 731 appearances and finding the net an eye-watering 634 times. His honours list includes ten LaLiga titles, four Champions League trophies and six Ballon d'Or awards.
However, despite that loyalty, pundits and ex-players are backing Messi to end his 19-year association with the club by leaving during the current transfer window.
Speaking on BT Sport following Friday night's defeat, ex-Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand said: "Does he want to spend his time left in that shirt given the performances and the way the squad is looking at the moment in comparison to other teams around Europe? Has he got the time to sit there and wait?"
Former Inter president Massimo Moratti believes that the Serie A giants have 'everything it takes' to lure Messi away from Spain and to Milan.
Moratti told Quotidiano Sportivo: "I am just a simple fan of Inter now, so I don’t have any inside information.
"Having said that, I do know this: Suning have everything it takes to bring Messi to Milan, in terms of both resources and competence."
Lionel Messi - to move to in this transfer window (odds via Sky Bet)
- Manchester City - 9/4
- Inter - 3/1
- PSG - 8/1
- Newell's Old Boys - 16/1
- Any MLS club - 25/1
- Manchester United - 25/1
- Arsenal - 33/1
- Bayern Munich - 33/1
- Chelsea - 33/1
- Juventus - 33/1
- Leeds - 50/1
Odds correct as of 1500 BST on 17/08/20
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