Lionel Messi Manchester United Transfer To Be Funded By Adidas?

Lionel Messi has been heavily linked with a transfer to Manchester United over the last few days, and it’s now been alleged that Adidas will assist them in their bid for the soccer behemoth.

According to sources in Spain, via the Express, the German sportswear company are going to help Manchester United fund their $300 million proposal to Barcelona for Lionel Messi. Adidas signed a 10-year deal worth just under $1.2 billion with Manchester United to become their new sponsors.

It’s not known exactly how Adidas will help Manchester United in their bid for the Barcelona forward. The options are that they could either provide money for Manchester United, offer incentives to Lionel Messi that would enhance his current $50 million a year deal with the company, or simply advise Messi to make the transfer.

Last year, it was suggested that Adidas would help to fund Chelsea’s potential bid for Lionel Messi. As the Inquisitr reported, Adidas, who also make Chelsea’s club shirts, were willing to pay a huge slice of the proposed sum for the Stamford Bridge side.

Lionel Messi’s future at Barcelona has been undecided since the start of November, when he first admitted that he might be tempted to leave the Nou Camp.

“Today I live in the present. I want to make a great year and win titles with Barcelona. Then we’ll see, football takes many turns. While I always said that I would always stay there, sometimes not everything happens the way you want.”

Since then, there has been speculation that Lionel Messi and Barcelona’s current manager, Luis Enrique, have fallen out dramatically.

Lionel Messi remained quiet regarding his possible exit until last weekend, when he made it clear that he had no ambition to leave the club, adding that his relationship with Enrique was fine.

However, at the Ballon d’Or ceremony on Monday, he once again teased that he might not end his career at Barcelona, even admitting that he doesn’t know where he will be playing next year.

“I don’t know where I’ll be next year although I’ve always said I want to end my career at Barcelona – but nobody knows what the future holds.”

Further alleged details regarding Lionel Messi’s possible exit have also started to emerge.

The Express added that in order to prize Messi from Barcelona Manchester City, Chelsea or Manchester United will have to pay a $300 transfer fee as well as a six-year contract worth just under $70 million every 12 months.

That would mean they would need to spend $720 million to own the 27-year-old.

[Image via The Independent]