Where will Lionel Messi play next after departing Barcelona?

Lionel Messi on Tuesday dropped a bombshell when he announced his plans of quitting Barcelona after two glorious decades, which saw him winning four Champions League crowns, 10 La Liga and numerous other titles. Following their 8-2 humiliation by Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Messi had hinted that he wants to leave the club this summer. He called off contract renewal talks with the club earlier this year and wants to leave for free, a clause that may lead to a bitter spat between him and the management. The big question is where will he go? Let’s look at the options:

Manchester City: Reuniting with Pep Guardiola would be a dream scenario for all at the English giants, especially after their own Champions League exit, and also for the Premier League, as the player would be a marketing dream for what is already the richest league in the world. On a side note, it might just be the trigger needed to entice Cristiano Ronaldo to move back to Manchester United and allow the pair to renew their rivalry.

Manchester United: The red side of Manchester may also attempt to lure the small superstar, but their lack of success and similar issues off the field may sway Messi's decision to avoid Old Trafford.

Inter Milan: Just like a potential rebooting of the Ronaldo vs Messi rivalry in England, Juventus’ Serie A challenge.rs Inter may see the signing of the Argentine as the solution to the problem of how to stop the ‘Old Lady’ and their pesky Portuguese making it 10 domestic titles in a row. An attractive package is reportedly being assembled by Inter.

Liverpool: Success breeds success and it also lures the top players. Jurgen Klopp’s men were crowned champions of England as they added another trophy to go with last year’s Champions League title. With Barcelona's struggles, Messi could be tempted by the happy camp at Anfield, with its camaraderie, smiles and success as Liverpool look to push on to bigger things next year. He would have been impressed first hand at the Anfield atmosphere during their famous comeback to defeat Barca in the Champions League last season.

Bayern Munich: The Bundesliga champions engineered Barca's downfall in the Champions League earlier this month, and have been banging goals in for fun, with Thomas Mueller and Robert Lewandowski thriving once again under new coach Hansi Flick. With Bayern having realised their dream of dominating Europe again, a diminutive Argentine behind these two goal-getting giants would be irresistible for their future plans.

Borussia Dortmund: Similarly, the perennial German runners-up would love Messi’s experience to help grow their youthful front-line, which includes a wealth of talent in the shape of Jadon Sancho, Erling Haaland and Thorgan Hazard. An old head passing on his wisdom to these young playmakers could be priceless.

Juventus: The Serie A giants would blow the doors off the transfer market were they to get Messi and Ronaldo both playing for the same team. It is a long shot, but with both players nearing the end of the careers, they could be tempted by a season in black in white that would live long in the memory for all.

Barcelona? Messi, who turned 33 in June, is known for making a strong stance to improve his salary and package at Camp Nou. It sounds improbable at the moment, but it would not be the biggest shock on the planet if Barca were to table a multi-million-euro deal to persuade him to stay. He has performed U-turns like this before.