The Lionel Messi transfer odds markets were really fired up on Tuesday.
That’s because Messi wants away from Barcelona.
Lionel Messi Transfer Odds News
The seismic news was announced on Tuesday as he apparently asked the Catalan club to trigger a release clause that he has in his contract.
So the 33-year-old looks as if he could be heading to pasture for next season.
Unless this is just a big gamble of a power move from him to heap pressure on club president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
Lionel Messi Transfer Odds – Next Club after the summer transfer window
Barcelona 3/4
Man City Evens
Inter Milan 6/1
PSG 9/1
Chelsea 14/1
Man Utd 14/1
Juventus 16/1
Newell’s Old Boys 20/1
Liverpool 25/1
33/1 bar
* (betting odds taken from 888Sport at 04:01 GMT on Tuesday, 26th August 2020).
Football betting at 888Sport
Barcelona to scupper all others in Lionel Messi transfer odds?
There is still a chance that Messi will be playing for Barcelona next season.
The club is arguing that his release clause has expired and therefore he could remain under contract.
Messi allegedly doesn’t see eye to eye with Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu, who faces a re-election campaign.
So this could be a move from the Argentine to put pressure on him ahead of that.
If Messi’s willing to walk away under Bartomeu, then the club may not want Bartoemu around, perhaps forcing him to resign. Who knows.
Either way, Messi is 3/4 odds-on to still be a Barca player next season* (betting odds taken from 888Sport at 04:01 GMT on Tuesday, 26th August 2020).
Manchester City
If not Barcelona, then will it be Man City who are being supported in Lionel Messi transfer odds?
Of course, there are links between Messi and Man City. That’s where Pep Guardiola is, the manager under whom Messi enjoyed so much glory with Barcelona.
It’s not just Guardiola however, it is his backroom staff that Messi is also familiar with. There is also the not-so-small factor of a club having to fork out a huge sum to have Messi play for them.
His wages alone are not going to come cheap. So if Messi is still harbouring those Champions League titles, he needs to go to one of the top clubs, but a top club who can afford him.
Manchester City would check those boxes pretty well and Guardiola would be happy enough most likely, playing a system to suit Messi, something that has happened for him at Barcelona in the last few seasons.
The Citizens are at even money to be Messi’s club after the summer transfer window* (betting odds taken from 888Sport at 04:01 GMT on Tuesday, 26th August 2020).
PSG
Could Messi reunite with Neymar at PSG? That is an interesting one.
PSG, along with Man City are one of the few clubs around in Europe who could actually afford to get their hands on Messi.
With the Parisians having been on the cusp of their first Champions League title this season, the signs are good for them.
So it’s not an unreasonable destination perhaps for Messi to ponder.
But PSG are out at 9/1 currently* (betting odds taken from 888Sport at 04:01 GMT on Tuesday, 26th August 2020). They may hope that Neymar can put his persuasive hat on.
Inter Milan
Under Antonio Conte, Inter reached the Europa League Final this season and have come a long way in a short time.
Conte has built a team around former Premier League players and his squad would certainly be bolstered by the arrival of Messi.
But are Inter looking strong enough to carry Messi’s dreams of more Champions League titles? A 6/1 option in this Lionel Messi betting market may suggest so* (betting odds taken from 888Sport at 04:01 GMT on Tuesday, 26th August 2020).
Chelsea
Well, Blues boss Frank Lampard seems to be in an aggressive transfer market mood and what a coup it would be to get Messi for a couple of seasons.
However, Chelsea seems to be heading in the direction of youth with an eye to the future and while Messi would be a great role model around, the Blues appear to be looking in other directions.
They have already spent a lot. They don’t look like Champions League winning material again, quite yet. The Blues are a 14/1 outside punt * (betting odds taken from 888Sport at 04:01 GMT on Tuesday, 26th August 2020).
Manchester United
Would Messi go to United? Well, they could probably push the boat out and afford him at least.
But again this all comes back to the big desire that Messi has for Champions League titles.
At 33 now, he wants more, but time is running out. United don’t wholeheartedly look primed to be Champions of Europe any time soon. The Red Devils are sat at the 14/1 odds along with Chelsea* (betting odds taken from 888Sport at 04:01 GMT on Tuesday, 26th August 2020).
Newells Old Boys
This is Messi’s former club and he has had an apparent desire to go back and play for them. But that’s not the elite level of football that he is craving, so it’s not too likely to happen yet. We don’t see it.
Juventus
We don’t see this one happening either. But we have to throw this one in there just because of how incredible it would be to see Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the same team finally.
Juve had to shuffle a lot of finances to be able to land Ronaldo, would they be willing to do it to an even bigger degree to get Messi too?
There’s a 16/1 current quote that says they will* (betting odds taken from 888Sport at 04:01 GMT on Tuesday, 26th August 2020).
