{"id":146461,"date":"2020-08-27T17:24:11","date_gmt":"2020-08-28T00:24:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=146461"},"modified":"2020-08-27T17:34:28","modified_gmt":"2020-08-28T00:34:28","slug":"lionel-messi-transfer-odds-where-will-the-barcelona-legend-land","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/lionel-messi-transfer-odds-where-will-the-barcelona-legend-land\/","title":{"rendered":"Lionel Messi Transfer Odds: Where Will the Barcelona Legend End Up?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lionel Messi appears increasingly likely to leave Barcelona and end up at another top European soccer club next season. Now, sportsbooks are laying odds on exactly where the Argentinian forward will land next.<\/p>\n

\"Lionel
Lionel Messi reacts after Bayern Munich scores a second goal during Barcelona\u2019s 8-2 loss in a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal in Lisbon on Aug. 14, 2020. (Image: Manu Fernandez\/AFP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Paddy Power currently sees Messi as equally likely to stay at Barcelona or to sign with Manchester City<\/a>, posting -120 odds for both options.<\/p>\n

Man City Most Likely to Land Messi<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Those are the two possibilities gaining the most traction among bettors and soccer media. Other clubs like Inter Milan (+1200), PSG (+1400), and Manchester United (+2000) are seen as far less likely destinations for Messi.<\/p>\n

The drama began on Tuesday, when reports surfaced that Messi had informed Barcelona<\/a> of his intention to leave. He also argued that he should be able to go on a free transfer based on a clause in his contract. However, Barcelona disagreed, noting that the language specified that he needed to inform the team of his intention to leave in June.<\/p>\n

While Messi argues that the COVID-19 pandemic should change these time lines, it\u2019s unclear which side is in the right. Most likely, another club would negotiate with Barcelona to reduce Messi\u2019s \u20ac700 million release clause to a more reasonable number, rather than wait for any legal issues to play out.<\/p>\n

Man City sits at the top of the list of interested teams. The English club calculates that it can afford to sign Messi without violating Financial Fair Play rules. It even envisions a future in which Messi plays for it for a few years, then ends its career with New York City FC of Major League Soccer, another club owned by the City Football Group.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, Spanish newspaper Sport<\/em> reported that City might even trade up to three players back to Barcelona in exchange for Messi, including Gabriel Jesus. Such a deal would cause a sensation in the soccer world, where trades of any kind are rare, and especially so for superstar players.<\/p>\n

\n

Lionel Messi will NOT continue at Barcelona next season. The announcement, which will arrive in the next few days, will be made official for everyone through the club's social networks.<\/p>\n

[@BlazquezFont<\/a>]<\/p>\n

— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) August 27, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n