SEADUCTION Lionel Messi to Chelsea: Blues to join Manchester City in race for Barcelona star after father Jorge holds talks on Roman Abramovich’s yacht

CHELSEA will join Manchester City in the chase for Lionel Messi if the superstar gives any indication he might quit Barcelona.

Messi was sentenced to 21 months jail for tax fraud but is not expected to do any time because prison terms of less than two years in Spain can be served under probation.

Barca immediately issued a statement supporting their player but Messi is known to feel that the club could have been more supportive during the case.

The fee for Messi would smash the £100million mark and SunSport understands that Messi’s father, who represents his superstar son, has met with Blues’ owner Roman Abramovich.

The meeting is believed to have taken place in the last ten days on Abramovich’s personal superyacht, the Eclipse.

Roman Abramovich hosted Messi's father Jorge on his super yacht

The Eclipse is the world's second largest yacht and was built at a cost of £1.5billion

Chelsea chiefs have been monitoring the tax fraud case which saw both Leo and his father convicted.

Between them, Messi and his dad have been ordered to pay just under £3million in fines and the family feel victimised by Spanish authorities.

The Stamford Bridge club were alerted to the possibility that Messi could leave Barca over the tax case and the club's failure to offer a new contract.

Negotiations were initiated on the basis that if the 29-year-old decided he'd had enough then Chelsea would be in pole position to capitalise.

Manchester City have also met with Messi's representatives over the last nine months but all but gave up their pursuit of the player in the last six weeks.

New boss, Pep Guardiola, said as much on arriving at the Etihad claiming that 'Messi would stay in Barcelona.'

However, the dramatic events in court yesterday as well as the award of a new mega deal to Neymar this week have thrown fresh doubt on Messi's future.

The former Argentina captain has endured a torrid few days missing a penalty in his country's Copa America defeat to Chile which led to him quitting international football.

Now along with the tax conviction Chelsea are willing to offer Barca a world record fee of around £110m to secure Messi's signature.

The Blues are also willing to better Messi's current weekly wage which stands is almost £600,000-per-week.

City have already told his father they will pay £800,000-a-week to secure the striker's services.