Lionel Messi wants out of Barcelona and his chosen career path could lead him overseas to NYCFC sooner rather than later.
When news broke that Lionel Messi wanted out of FC Barcelona after a long and storied career with the club, every fan of every soccer team in the world began to freak out. Memes of Messi photoshopped into different jerseys flooded the internet. As it turns out, NYCFC fans who joined in on the fun weren’t that far off base.
According to a report from ESPN, Premier League club Manchester City is considering offering Messi a deal that would include coming to the MLS to play for NYCFC in three years.
“Manchester City are weighing up offering Lionel Messi a long-term contract that would see him move to MLS partner club New York City FC after three years in the Premier League, several sources have told ESPN.
“They could also offer Messi the chance to become an ambassador for the City Football Group, the holding company that owns a number of clubs across the world, including City and NYCFC.”
Crazier things have happened, right?
If Messi really wants to play for Manchester City this would be a nice little compromise. He plays for the Premier League squad for a few years before coming stateside to star in the MLS and position himself for life after his playing career is over.
Of course, this would mean he would have to play on the pitch at Yankee Stadium, but maybe in three years, NYCFC will have a new home.