Messi has chosen Manchester City — report

Despite our 100 reasons for Chelsea to sign Lionel Messi, despite JJ Watt and Josh Hart (and Milan Lalkovič) making online pleas, despite Rio Ferdinand joking the Lampard is “in” for Messi, and even the Premier League’s USA account joining in on the fun, Messi is probably not coming to Chelsea.

Probably.

(Definitely not, let’s be honest.)

But still, we can dream and fantasize until the situation clears up, either by Messi staying in Barcelona (if/when current president Bartomeu resigns), or by Messi getting out of his contract like he contends that he can, and choosing to go to PSG, Inter Milan, Manchester United, or, as it appears most likely, Manchester City, where he’d reunite with Pep Guardiola.

That latter option appears to be winning the narrative at the moment, thanks to a report from Barcelona-based journalist Marcelo Bechler, who claims that Messi wants to play for Manchester City.

Well, boo.

Messi coming to the Premier League would be quite intriguing, especially if he ended up with a team other than Pep Guardiola’s. That still seems more like a poorly written fanfic, or someone’s FIFA/Football Manager save, but at this moment in time, this does seem like an actual possibility.

Chelsea may not have a chance — and in terms of actual squad-building, it probably isn’t the best move even though Messi’s Messi — but we can keep an eye on things until his future becomes clear.