Lionel Messi recently criticizing the Barcelona management gives a window of opportunity for rival clubs to try luring him out of Camp Nou. Manchester City and Juventus have been mentioned as likely destination but Inter Milan will also want a piece of the Argentine, and it seems possible now for a transfer.
That's according to former Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti, the same man who attempted unsuccessfully to convince Messi to leave Spain for Italy years ago. Now, Conte is convinced getting the Barca skipper to Inter would be an easier undertaking.
The belief is anchored on recent developments, which appeared to indicate all is not well between Messi and Camp Nou. As The Sun noted, the Little Magician had a public spat with Eric Abidal, the club's sporting director. Then the six-time Ballon winner scored the Barcelona board in social media post last week.
The gripe aired by Messi was focused on the pressure put on the Barca players. The team captain thought management painted the team members in a bad light by suggesting that players disagreed with a proposed pay cut.
In the end, the salary deduction was implemented so that the Spanish giants can make payments to regular Barcelona workers. Messi said he and his colleagues voted for a 70 percent wage cut but he made clear that the way Barca officials behaved on the matter was unacceptable.
To Moratti, such incidents tell him that Messi now contemplates life outside of Catalan so making a bid on the superstar seemed to the perfect time.
"I don't believe Messi is a forbidden dream at all. Maybe it never was even before all this misfortune. He is in the final stretch of his contract and, without doubt, it would take a tremendous effort to bring him here," the former Inter executive was reported as saying.
Goal said Inter's hope of finally attracting Messi to the San Siro side makes sense because the Argentine has held off extending his contract with Barca, which will expire next year. And the skipper's existing deal has an exit clause that will allow him to join a new team that can be triggered at the end of the season.
Moratti said Barcelona might agree to start a talk on the matter if Lautaro Martinez is included in the discussions. It's no secret that Catalonians are interested in the 22-year-old goalscorer and Messi himself dreams of playing with his Argentina teammate at the Barca side.
However, that might not be realized as Barcelona could be persuaded to release Messi and get Martinez in return.
According to Moratti: "He is a very good lad, he cares about his career, but as I said before, we have to see if it's part of an operation for bigger players like Messi."
