Wayne Rooney added his voice to the red-hot Lionel Messi conversation - where the Argentine is headed after Barcelona - and welcomed the possibility of the Barca captain signing up with a Premier League club. In England, Messi will certainly continue his greatness and he is likely Ballon d'Or No. 7, said the Manchester United Legend.
Messi sent word to Camp Nou on Tuesday that he is not returning next season and reports indicated that the 33-year-old will make the jump to the Premier League. The superstar is said inclined to work again with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City but there is a possibility too that he could cut a deal with United.
Rooney said any of the England giants will do well for the Barcelona star. He expressed no doubt that in the Premier League, Messi will win titles and honors.
"He could come to the Premier League and be a Player of the Year. One million percent. If he surrounds himself with Bruno Fernandes or Kevin De Bruyne, he could win a seventh Ballon d'Or," Team Talk reported the former United skipper as saying.
According to the Derby County star, having a Messi on the roster is good business for any club as attested by the 16 years of dominance by Barcelona in La Liga. The Argentine is a complete package and can readily electrify not only the side that he will join but also the league he will play with.
"Messi has everything - he can create goals, score goals, dictate the game, and is the best player of all time," said the former Red Devils man.
The football world is in awe of Messi for nearly two decades now and even at 33 years of age, Rooney said the superstar will continue to inspire. Pundits are saying that signs of slowing down have yet to be seen on Messi and the forward, barring any injuries, could remain in top form for another three to four years.
However, the Premier League counting Messi as a regular player soon will not happen easily. One concern is that the star has a lot of options. He could head next to Inter Milan or Juventus in Italy or he could consider France where a lucrative offer from Paris Saint-Germain is already reserved.
The main concern though is Messi's way out of Barcelona. The player believes he can walk out free due to a clause on his contract but the deadline for that has already passed, according to the Spanish club.
The only way the Barca star can leave is through the payment of a buy-out fee, which Metro said was set by the Catalans at around £700 million.
Playing for an MLS club in the United States could be in the cards too for Messi but Rooney advised the superstar to leave the option out as he is too good for that level of football.
