Transfer Talk: Messi’s MLS move hinges on all teams paying his salary?
Lionel Messi shows off the World Cup trophy with the rest of the Argentina squad lifting their own replica model. (1:16)
The January transfer window is closed around Europe, but teams are looking ahead to the summer and there’s plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
In what would be an incredibly unique turn of events, Diario Sport have reported that all MLS clubs could chip in to pay Lionel Messi‘s wages in an effort to bring the Paris Saint-Germain talisman to the league.
There has been plenty of talk surrounding the 35-year-old’s future with his PSG contract expiring in the summer and Inter Miami CF regularly linked as a potential destination for the Argentina star.
However, the MLS salary cap structure could prohibit signing Messi to what would likely be a record deal, which has reportedly produced one creative solution.
The report states that team owners met six weeks ago and floated the option to jointly pay Messi’s wages and allow him to choose the club he plays for.
The feeling is that the presence of arguably the best player in football history would benefit everybody in the league commercially, even if only one team would be improved on the pitch.
There has been speculation that Messi would consider a return to Barcelona, with club president Joan Laporta saying last week that “[Messi] has the doors of Barca open … He knows that. He’s part of our emblem.”
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– New Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel is pushing to sign Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane in the summer, according to Football Insider, who add that the 29-year-old is now a transfer priority. Kane, who is Spurs and England‘s all-time top goalscorer, is entering the final year of his contract but the London side are likely to demand at least £100m for his transfer. Manchester United also remain interested.
– RB Leipzig midfielder Konrad Laimer‘s move to Bayern Munich as a free agent is close to being 100% complete, according to Florian Plettenberg, who added that the 25-year-old has already completed the first part of his medical. In a Sky Sports Deutschland report, Plettenberg also stated that Bayern are monitoring Gavi due to Barcelona’s ongoing struggles to register the 18-year-old star, although there are currently no negotiations and a deal is deemed unlikely.
– Paris Saint-Germain are hoping to take advantage of a clause in Napoli defender Kim Min-Jae‘s contract that would allow the 26-year-old to be available for around €52.5m during the first two weeks of July, according to Foot Mercato. As well as bringing in Internazionale‘s Milan Skriniar as a free agent, PSG are looking at Sporting CP‘s Goncalo Inacio and Villarreal‘s Pau Torres.
– After Memphis Depay moved from Barcelona to Atletico Madrid in January, Mundo Deportivo are reporting that Yannick Carrasco could go the other way in the summer. There is currently the option to sign the 29-year-old winger for €15m, although Barcelona will negotiate in an effort to bring that number down.
– USMNT full-back Sergino Dest will return to Barcelona in the summer to discuss his future, states Fabrizio Romano. This comes with AC Milan having long decided that they will not trigger the clause to make Dest’s loan permanent, as he has only managed 635 minutes across all competitions this term.
– With James Milner‘s contract set to expire at the end of the season, Liverpool are yet to open contract talks despite Jurgen Klopp wanting the 37-year-old to stay for another year, reports The Athletic. The versatile midfielder is keen to continue playing and would ideally stay at Anfield, although the lack of movement opens up the possibility of a summer departure.