Lionel Messi: Mikel Arteta discusses Arsenal's chances of landing Barcelona star

Posted Monday, July 06, 2020 by Express.co.uk

Lionel Messi: Mikel Arteta discusses Arsenal's chances of landing Barcelona star
Will Lionel Messi leave Barcelona next summer? (Image: GETTY)

Mikel Arteta wasn't optimistic about Arsenal's hopes of signing Lionel Messi.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says the prospect of Lionel Messi coming to the Premier League is not something the Gunners are thinking about. Reports in Spain have claimed Messi is considering his future at Barcelona and could leave when his contract ends in 2021.

Messi's departure would end a remarkable career at the Nou Camp, where has broken multiple records, dozens of trophies and countless goals.

However, the Argentine is said to be disillusioned with life at Barcelona with the burden on him becoming increasingly high.

Few clubs would have the financial power to convince Messi to join them but Manchester City would be high on the shortlist of Premier League club given the presence of Pep Guardiola.

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has spoken in the past of how they came close to signing Messi when he was a teenager.

But speaking ahead of Arsenal's clash with Leicester on Tuesday, current boss Arteta was asked whether he thought Messi could be on his way to English football and unsurprisingly he didn't think his club would be in the race.

He said: "It's not a question for us, but obviously, if he could come and join this country, I think it would be a huge plus for the country, for the league and for everybody to have the opportunity to enjoy him."

Meanwhile, Spanish football expert Guillem Balague says there are a number of reasons for Messi's unhappiness.

He told the BBC: "Messi is disillusioned with any number of things emanating from his life at Barcelona at the moment.

"He is fed up of being accused of running the club, fed up of people saying he hires and fires the coaches, fed up of claims he chooses who should be signed and who should play and fed up with the general direction of the club and the huge mistakes they have made in the transfer market.

"Enough is enough and now he has, according to the radio station's programme El Larguero, told the club he will be leaving at the end of next season.

"Claims have been made against Messi that he wanted the club to sign France forward Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid but now no longer wants him there. Untrue.

"On a personal level, Griezmann has joined Messi and Luis Suarez, along with their wives, for dinner and their relationship is good, even though Griezmann has yet to find his niche in the side. In any case, there is a conscious effort by both Messi and Suarez to help him adapt."