Only Manchester United and Real Madrid can sign Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi according to UEFA's financial fair play laws. The Daily Mail says considering that the prospect of Messi moving from Barcelona to their arch rivals is unlikely, then the Old Trafford club may be the only realistic destination for the Argentine if he was to leave the Nou Camp.

Even then, meeting the 27-year-old's astronomical wages without breaking UEFA's FFP rules could prove a struggle.

An offer of £196million would meet Messi's buy-out clause and oblige Barcelona to sell if it was the player's will to leave.

Rob Wilson, a football finance expert at Sheffield Hallam University, told the BBC: "With the revenue they generate and cash reserves, only United and Real Madrid could pay the fee.

"With salary costs probably even they couldn't stay within FFP."