Considering Manchester United are reported to have some sort of ‘Ronaldo Rule’ that will prevent any one player earning considerably more than anyone else, the chances of Lionel Messi rocking up at Old Trafford would appear to be slim and none.
And to paraphrase a favourite saying of boxing promoter Don King, slim is packing his bags and leaving town. Even if the ‘Ronaldo Rule’ proves to be extremely flexible, Messi could probably earn as much in Saudi Arabia in a month than he could at United in a year.
And it is quite obvious that money matters to Messi - if you have any doubt, check out his portfolio of commercial deals. There is not much Messi won’t put his name to if it means more millions.
But while it might just be wishful thinking, while it might just be the notion of a sporting romantic, perhaps the greatest player this generation of football fans has seen will fancy one last challenge rather than end his career in exhibition mode.
He turns 36 next month but remains one of the finest footballers - if not THE finest footballer - on the planet. Anyone who saw him in the flesh throughout the World Cup in Qatar can vouch for that.
In the aftermath of that triumph, there was giddy talk of him leading Argentina into the next tournament. Intoxicated by the headiness of that success, it was easy to dismiss that talk as extremely fanciful.
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But you can bet World Cup 2026 is on Messi’s radar and it will not, realistically, stay there if he spends the intervening time playing in a strictly minor league.
And those close to Messi - suspended for two weeks by Paris St Germain after an unauthorised trip to Saudi and unlikely to play for the French club again - say he is convinced he can be a dominant force in European club football for at least one or two seasons to come.
While the barely believable Saudi largesse is tempting, it is an open secret Messi’s ideal scenario would be a return to the Nou Camp but Barcelona’s severe financial difficulties would seem to make that unfeasible.
If that is the case and if he wants to add to the eighth Ballon D’or he will surely collect later this year, then his options would seem very limited. But United, if they really do have claims to be the biggest club in the world, should be one of them.
There are, quite clearly, many reasons why United is an unlikely option. Too many to detail, probably. For a start, who knows who will be owning the club when next season begins?
And after his experience with Cristiano Ronaldo, how would Messi fit into Erik ten Hag’s long-term project? You could go on and on.
But the fact is Messi remains a once-in-a-lifetime talent who will be looking for a new club this summer. For elite footballers, maybe joining United is no longer seen as a once-in-a-lifetime chance - Jude Bellingham would tell you that - but it remains a special, iconic club.
And if Messi gives the slightest hint that he fancies a final challenge in Europe, Manchester United should be front and centre of the fight to sign him.
