La Liga

The Barcelona board of directors has reportedly held an "internal debate" about whether to make superstar forward Lionel Messi available for transfer before the 2020-21 La Liga season.

ESPN's Moises Llorens and Sam Marsden reported Friday the Blaugrana's general outlook remains keyed on keeping Messi as the focal point of the club, but some board members told ESPN they "wouldn't be against selling him in the right circumstances."

Barca hired Ronald Koeman as their new manager Wednesday, and the 57-year-old told reporters he wanted the six-time Ballon d'Or winner to stay at Camp Nou:

"We need to work with him and speak with various players. We need to make some decisions, but in Messi's case, I hope he stays with us.

"I don't know if I have to convince Messi [to stay], whether it's that or not. He is the best player in the world and the best player in the world you want in your team, you don't want him playing against you.

"As a coach, I would love to work with Messi because he wins matches. If he's at the ability and level he has always shown, I'd be more than happy for him to stay."

Barcelona seem set to undergo changes after a disappointing campaign in which they failed to win a trophy and suffered an embarrassing 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals.

Messi has already reached out to Koeman to express displeasure about potential moves amid rumors of exits for Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba, per ESPN.

The 33-year-old Argentine legend has downplayed previous speculation about a possible departure from Barcelona, including when he claimed last year's Ballon d'Or trophy.

"The people at the club know me," he said. "They know there's no problem beyond what the contract says. What I feel for this club goes beyond any signature or any role. So there isn't a problem."

His current deal runs to June 30, 2021.

There are a finite number of clubs in the world with the financial resources to even make a legitimate offer for Messi, and there's no word that any teams have approached Barca with serious interest.

Nevertheless, it appears more offseason rumors about his future awaits as Barcelona decide how to restructure the club after nearly two decades of success with Messi leading the charge.

FC Barcelona announced Wednesday that Ronald Koeman, who previously played for the club and served as an assistant coach with Barca for two seasons, has been hired as their new manager to replace Quique Setien.

Koeman's contract runs through June 30, 2022. 

Setien was fired Monday following an 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. He'd only served as head coach since January.

Koeman returns to Barcelona after two years as head coach of the Netherlands national team.

He has two decades of managerial experience around Europe. His most recent job at club level was just over a season with English Premier League side Everton.

ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens provided a statement from the new Barca manager:

"It was an honor to be the national coach of Netherlands. For the past two-and-a half years I have done everything I can to achieve successes with 'Oranje.' I look back with pride on what we have achieved together in that period. The Dutch national team has a bright future, I am convinced of that. Everyone knows that Barcelona is my dream club. It feels very special to me to be able to become a coach there."

The club also hired Alfred Schreuder, who most recently served as manager of TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, as Koeman's top assistant, per ESPN.

Koeman was a standout player before his coaching days. He operated as both a defender and midfielder at points throughout his 17-year playing career, which included stops at Groningen, Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord along with six seasons at Barca.

The 57-year-old Dutchman helped lead the Blaugrana to four La Liga titles and the 1992 European Cup during his time with the club. He also captured the UEFA Euro 1988 title with the Netherlands at international level.

His task now is helping Barcelona bounce back after its first trophy-less campaign since 2013-14.

There is plenty of upheaval and uncertainty at FC Barcelona following their season ending with a demoralizing 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals. But club president Josep Bartomeu seems confident Lionel Messi is staying put.  

"Messi wants to end his career at Barca, he has said that many times," Bartomeu told BarcaTV on Tuesday (h/t ESPN). "I've spoken to [potential incoming manager Ronald Koeman] about him and he has told me Messi will be the pillar of his project. Messi has a contract with Barca until 2021. I speak to him and his father regularly and they know that we have a solid project, that a new coach is coming and that he will count on him."

Barça president ruled out the chance of opening talks with Man United to Ousmane Démbélé: “He’ll stay. Messi, Ter Stegen, Lenglet, Semedo, De Jong, Griezmann and Démbélé are not for sale”.

J. Bartomeu also added that “Coutinho can stay here, if Koeman want him”. 🔵🔴 #transfers

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 18, 2020

Bartomeu added during the appearance that negotiations with Koeman were ongoing and nothing was finalized but "if there is no change then we will announce Koeman as our next coach and he will lead this team and these players forward with a different type of project, led by a coach who all Barca fans know." 

There have been questions about whether Messi might try to leave Barcelona after the embarrassing end to their Champions League campaign and failure to win La Liga, with Graham Hunter of Sky Sports saying the transfer fee for the 33-year-old legend would be €100 million. 

"He doesn't want to leave for more money or just to be out of the mess that is going on around him, he wants to win the Champions League. It's a very complicated equation to work out how he leaves, or to where he might go," Hunter said. "Of course, he is waiting to see the developments [regarding the board and manager] and whether he believes that might make a difference to him staying and winning at Barcelona."

Barca have already seen major changes since that loss and since a trophy-less 2019-20 season, with manager Quique Setien sacked and sporting director Eric Abidal agreeing to terminate his contract. And a number of veteran players like Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez, Ivan Rakitic and Arturo Vidal could be on the way out. 

Bartomeu says Koeman has told him Messi will be “keystone” of new team but some other older players need to get “honorable goodbye”

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) August 18, 2020

Messi hasn't slowed down much, with 25 goals and 21 assists in 33 total La Liga appearances this season. He remains Barca's best player and, as of Tuesday, a major part of the club's future plans. 

In any other season, Lionel Messi would not have had to take matters into his own hands.

In any other season, Barca fans would have stood jeering in the stands of the Camp Nou, waving their white handkerchiefs to demand change as their team lost grip on the Spanish title.

But this season—the one that has lasted over a year and left fans locked outside thanks to the impact of COVID-19—Messi has decided to take a stand.

He had been angry for months. First because of a perceived lack of effort from the board in trying to bring Neymar back, but more recently—as Real Madrid clinched La Liga in July—a frustrated Messi made clear how he felt about the team. 

"We didn't want to end the season like this, but it represents how the season has gone," he told broadcaster Movistar+ (h/t Goal.com) after Barca were beaten by Osasuna at home in the penultimate game of the season. "We were a very erratic, very weak, low-intensity team." 

The 8-2 UEFA Champions League quarter-final humiliation against Bayern Munich was final evidence of everything Messi had spent time worrying about. 

And now reports have surfaced that he is truly fed up. That Messi is seriously considering quitting Barca.

Reporter Marcelo Bechler is the man who broke the story. He's the same man that first broke the news that Neymar was joining Paris Saint-Germain. He is considered a highly reliable transfer source around Barcelona.

His report for Esporte Interativo flew around the world, and as his words were translated and scrutinised, the message was clear: Messi wants to leave Barcelona. Not in 2021 when his contract expires. Now.

Speaking to this week's B/R Football Ranks podcast, available now, Bechler explained: "At the beginning of the season he said what was important was not a big contract or money, but a strong project. And with no titles and that loss to Bayern, he still has three or four years left to play and he knows he can help Barca—but they can not help him.

"Messi has always thought him and Barca were 'just one thing,' but now he is thinking maybe he can be another thing without Barcelona. He can make another step and try to win without Barcelona. 

"He is angry with the board and disappointed with the club and wants to leave now. Barca are pessimistic because they can't offer a solid project and can't do much to help him.

"It is very likely he leaves Barcelona if there is another project, I don't know where or which club. It is impossible in this economy to pay €700 million, but I think Barca don't want him here unhappy. After all that Messi gave to them, they don't want him here as a prisoner."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onUokoQA1Wk

Every now and then, there is a transfer that stops and leaves you gobsmacked.

There was Luis Figo switching from Barcelona to Real Madrid, David Beckham moving to MLS to sign for L.A. Galaxy and Neymar leaving Barca for Paris-Saint Germain.

Make no mistake about it—Messi leaving Barcelona for another European club would eclipse them all.

❗️ Messi is fed up. He will leave in 2021 if no drastic changes are made. [cope] pic.twitter.com/YVG1f3kDK5

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) August 14, 2020

There had been murmurs of Messi's exit decision ahead of Bechler's report, with Spanish radio station COPE reporting that he would leave if the club was not restructured. But they were reporting that he would leave in 2021—not now.

Since the initial news, Barcelona have removed their coach, Quique Setien, and he is expected to be replaced by Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman any day now.

It's one step towards pacifying Messi, who was never much of a Setien believer. But how much more work is there to do?

Barcelona have not won the Champions League since 2015 and ended this latest campaign without a major trophy for the first time in six years. Aged 33, Messi surely can not face the reality of not winning Europe's elite the competition again before retirement. 

Andy West is a commentator on LaLigaTV and also wrote the book Lionel Messi and the Art of Living.

He told B/R, "Messi has considered leaving before. At the start of his career he contemplated a big offer from Inter Milan, and more recently he seriously struggled to connect with Luis Enrique during the early days of his managerial stint at the Camp Nou.

"It came to a head at the start of 2015 when Luis Enrique left both Messi and Neymar on the bench for a game at Real Sociedad because they had only recently returned after spending Christmas in South America. Barca lost the game 1-0, Messi skipped the following day's open training session for young fans and mischievously started following Chelsea on Instagram.

"It was a fraught week, but reconciliation came with a stirring victory over Atletico Madrid and the two enjoyed a decent relationship after that.

"I think it would be perfectly understandable if Messi chose to leave now. The club has become a circus, and for the last few years he has been asked to do far too much to paper over the ever-widening cracks.

"Messi is fully aware of the poor state of the team and the club in general and feels that his public warnings have not been heeded.

"Considering the ageing profile of the squad and their dire financial situation, it's hard to see how Barca will be able to challenge for a major trophy next season, and Messi must be wondering whether he is prepared to effectively waste one of the few remaining years of his career." 

It would break up the club de amigos and make it much easier to sell Suarez, Alba, Vidal etc. It would remove a colossal wage burden. It would provide a route into the team for Coutinho, Griezmann and Dembele.

— Andy West (@andywest01) August 18, 2020

Omar Hawwash is editor-in-chief of Barca site Blaugranagram and he finds it hard to believe that Messi could walk away.

He has been with the club since the age of 12, when he signed a napkin to confirm he would be joining. He has played 731 games, scored 634 goals and produced 285 assists. He's a club icon, a club legend.

Hawwash told B/R: "It's a club that helped form and shape him into the player and man we know him as today. I do not deem it as an easy choice for him, and quite frankly, after all he has been through with the Catalans, I don't see him leaving.

"With the presidential elections around the corner (announced for March) and Barcelona's delicate situation at the moment, however, I could see him remotely considering whether his future would be at another club.

"If he does leave? I think for Barcelona, it would be a big blow, without a doubt. Having built the team around him for years, it takes a lot to find 'the next Messi,' which quite frankly is a term that has been used a lot over the years.

"Personally, I think Neymar seems as the natural heir to the Argentine, but given his situation with Paris Saint-Germain and their potential willingness to keep one of their key players, Barcelona would have to do a lot to convince him to go back to the Catalan city, not to mention the impression the Brazilian has left on Barca." 

Fans continue to hold concern over the way President Josep Bartomeu is steering the club, and there have been threats of protest within the Barcelona region. Had it not been for the impact of COVID-19, protests would probably have been happening for some time.

There is a growing fear that Messi really might be thinking of a move.

Thankfully for Barca fans, there are not many realistic avenues for Messi to head down if he is serious about leaving. And there has to be hope this is all just an aggressive stance to ensure his beloved Barcelona do not suddenly suffer a cataclysmic collapse.

Barcelona say they have not had any word that he wants to leave. But at the same time, Messi's camp have not played down Bechler's story.

This is a complicated time economically. Most clubs can not even consider spending €100 million on a big transfer—Messi has a release clause of €700 million.

If he was to move, it would be for less than that amount, given his age and that his contract expires next year. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sign the world's best player. A genius on the pitch and a marketing manager's dream. 

Manchester City have looked into signing him before, and the Txiki Begiristain/Ferran Soriano/Pep Guardiola Barca link makes them an obvious contender.

They might be able to come up with the money, especially at a time when Financial Fair Play rules are being eased, but we have to bear in mind that the club have been reasonably disciplined in terms of transfer fees up to this point.

Still, City were ambitious enough to land Guardiola—we can't rule out that they would make a push for Messi.

Then there is PSG, who found the cash to sign Neymar for €222 million and seem to have the power to do whatever they like. However, they are currently trying to tie up Neymar and Kylian Mbappe to new contracts. Unless Neymar becomes part of a swap deal, it's going to be unlikely.

And then we have Inter Milan, who have been linked because of their rich owners, Suning Holdings, and words from former president Massimo Moratti that they could make it happen.

"I am just a simple fan of Inter now, so I don't have any inside information," he told Italian newspaper Quotidiano Sportivo (h/t Goal.com). "Having said that, I do know this: Suning have everything it takes to bring Messi to Milan, in terms of both resources and competence."

The prospect of putting him head-to-head with Cristiano Ronaldo once again would certainly bring another dimension to Serie A. But Bechler explained on B/R/s podcast that Inter have not had any contact and a move is not seen as likely.

One thing for sure is that for the first time ever, Messi seems obtainable. And if that truly is the case, the biggest transfer of all time might be just around the corner. 

 

Barcelona officially fired manager Quique Setien on Monday, calling it a "the first decision within a wider restructuring of the first team which will be agreed between the current technical secretary and the new coach, who will be announced in the coming days."

In a separate statement, the Catalan club announced that the board of directors "have agreed that the date for the next presidential elections will be the first matchday past March 15, 2021."

As if Barca supporters didn't receive enough news of upheaval on Monday, the club also announced that starting goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was undergoing surgery on the patellar tendon in his right knee. It's unclear what the timetable for his return will be.

It's also unclear what Barcelona will look like next season.

Setien, 61, lasted just seven months as the club's manager after Ernesto Valverde—winner of two consecutive La Liga titles coming into the year with Barca—was sacked. Valverde's undoing likely started with last season's failure to advance past the Champions League semifinals.

The last straw for Setien's tenure was assuredly the club's 8-2 loss against Bayern Munich on Friday in this year's UCL quarterfinals—the sort of embarrassing loss that a club of Barcelona's stature simply doesn't abide.

But Barcelona also finished the 2019-20 season devoid of silverware, finishing second in the league table and falling to Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey quarters. That made Setien's dismissal inevitable.

As for his potential replacement Sid Lowe and Fabrizio Romano of The Guardian reported that Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman was being tipped to take over as manager. A major roster makeover could also occur.

By the way.

Before 2-8 Setien was going to be sacked anyway. And elections were going to take place in spring. Same as the club has announced today

Erm... Did 2-8 take place? And if so... Why has nothing else has happened? It should be a reason to raise your hand and go home

— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) August 17, 2020

Koeman has also managed the Premier League's Southampton and Everton. But that won't prepare the longtime Barca defender/midfielder for stepping into one of the world's biggest clubs in a moment of crisis. If the Dutchman indeed is the club's next manager, his task will be a tall one.

Lionel Messi is looking for a transfer out of Barcelona, according to journalist Marcelo Bechler.

Friday: Beaten 8-2 by Bayern in the Champions League quarter-final

Sunday: @marcelobechler reports that Messi wants to leave the club this summer

Barcelona fans: pic.twitter.com/rQUWj7Yn4E

— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 16, 2020

If @marcelobechler says Messi is ready to leave Barcelona, then I believe him.
The biggest transfer story of our lifetime could be just around the corner 👀

— Dean Jones (@DeanJonesSoccer) August 16, 2020

Messi's current contract expires after the 2020-21 season. However, it wouldn't be surprising if he forged an exit before that after Barcelona's 8-2 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich laid bare how dysfunctional the club is on and off the pitch.

Messi might have turned 33 in June, but he could probably name his next stop, such would be the demand for his services. Although the six-time Ballon d'Or winner is on the wrong side of the aging curve, he remains capable of pulling off incredible goals.

Oh. My. Messi.

As only he could, the magician does it again. A masterclass in balance, precision, and skill puts @FCBarcelona up 3-1 on aggregate. pic.twitter.com/nKBPfu1Ywi

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) August 8, 2020

The Athletic's Adam Crafton wrote that match analysis from a 2017 El Clasico showed how Messi was being more economical with his movement:

"In the presentation, they focused on a match between Barcelona and Real Madrid in 2017, when Messi walked for 83 per cent of the five miles he covered in the game. Traditionally, football coaches would consider this to be inadequate from a leading player but using Metrica data, Fernandez and Bornn were able to demonstrate how Messi identified 'high-value locations' to create possibilities for Barcelona. Bobby Gardiner, a data scientist at a leading European club, wrote an article interpreting the research and concluded that 'in 66 per cent of the moments Messi won control of valuable space, he was walking. Even while strolling, he is helping his team by holding ground in valuable areas, waiting for the ball to come to him.'"

Even assuming Messi is past his prime, his time as a world-class footballer isn't over.

Losing Messi would obviously be a devastating blow to Barcelona, both in terms of the playing squad and what it would mean on a symbolic level. The Argentine star has spent his entire professional career in Catalonia. His transfer would represent a significant rebuke as to where he believes the club to be.

To some extent, selling Messi on might be the kind of shock to the system Barcelona requires to make meaningful changes.

"Coaches and players follow one another, but it has been several years since we have been able to be competitive on a European level," Gerard Pique told reporters after the Bayern defeat. "... The club needs changes. And I'm not talking at the level of the coach or the players, but structurally the club needs changes of all kinds. We must bring in new blood to change this dynamic, and if necessary, I would be the first to leave."

The 8-2 thrashing at hands of Bayern follows a 4-0 loss to Liverpool in the second leg of last year's quarterfinals and a 3-0 collapse at the hands of Roma in the second leg of the 2017-18 quarters.

In recent seasons, Barcelona remained near the top of La Liga thanks in large part to Messi's presence. Their reliance on him then gets exposed in the Champions League.

As long as he remains at the Camp Nou, the problem might persist.

Barcelona reportedly have chosen to fire manager Quique Setien following the club's 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals on Friday, per Fabrizio Romano of Sky Sports. 

Setien, who replaced Ernesto Valverde in January, went 16-4-5 leading Barcelona, who finished second to Real Madrid in La Liga this season. The 61-year-old has been a manager for 20 years and most recently led Real Betis from 2017-2019.

Setien acknowledged that he may no longer lead Barcelona in a post-match conversation with reporters, per Joe Prince-Wright of NBC Sports:

"You have to think always that the future will be better, that you can improve the image we showed today, above all thinking of the future. I think that right now it's too soon to be talking about whether I stay at the club or not. The reality is that it doesn't depend on me. It's worth all of us working out what's important and considering a wide range of things which correspond to a defeat of this importance and which is so painful."

The score was tied at one after seven minutes, but Bayern scored three goals in a 10-minute stretch to take a 4-1 lead in the 31st minute. Luis Suarez got one back to pull Barcelona within 4-2, but Bayern Munich closed with four goals, including three in the final eight minutes before added time.

Thomas Muller and Philippe Coutinho each scored twice for Bayern Munich, who will play either Manchester City or Lyon in the semifinals.

Real Madrid and Barcelona feel like two clubs in very different places right now.

The former, newly crowned La Liga champions, put together an astonishing 10-game win streak to lift the trophy with a game to spare, have a deep crop of talented young players and a manager with a clear plan of how to utilise them.

The latter...well, captain Lionel Messi has described the team's performances as "erratic and weak," the average age of the squad is a concern, the playing style is confused and the fans are seething.

How has it come to this, given Barca were crowned European champions as recently as 2015, with Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez representing football's golden trident at the time? Since then, Real Madrid have won four UEFA Champions League titles and have just dethroned their rivals in La Liga. 

A look into their transfer business since the summer of 2015 paints a picture. We took every deal from that moment to now and formed a top 10, judging by the price paid vs. what each club has got from the player, but also, crucially, leaving room for some projection too—particularly in the more recent deals.

---

                   

10. Mateo Kovacic, Real Madrid

€38 million from Inter Milan, 2015

If you're thinking a player who cost €38 million and never topped 20 La Liga starts for Real Madrid is a weak place to begin this list, you're probably right. But the truth is, both clubs (and in particular Barcelona) have wasted serious money over the past five years.

A glance down the transfer lists flags about 12 decent deals, and Kovacic just about beats out the solid, steady but mostly unspectacular Clement Lenglet for 10th.

Kovacic didn't play as much as he'd have liked to, but his issue at Madrid was that he was competing with Toni Kroos and Luka Modric for a place in the starting XI. He would often be rolled out with the "B" squad for La Liga games when the Champions League took focus; he also played the odd European tie and acquitted himself perfectly fine.

        

9. Arthur, Barcelona

€31 million from Gremio, 2018

Without wishing to dampen the spirit of football for a moment, Arthur could qualify as one of the best deals solely because of the fact Barca have sold him for €72 million just two years later. That, in 2020, is a football transfer success.

As a player, though—and that's where we'll actually judge this transfer—he has been solid: press-resistant, neat and tidy on the ball and capable of threading the needle with a pass. He didn't excel in either the defensive or attacking third but dominated the middle one at times.

Barca struggled to get the best out of him in the way Brazil and Gremio did, but he was still a dependable presence in the centre.

         

8. Eden Hazard, Real Madrid

€100 million from Chelsea, 2019

"I have surely had the worst season of my career individually," Hazard recently told France Info (h/t Goal).

That's not the tune you want to strike out of a €100 million man, but Hazard is nothing if not frank; with two problematic foot injuries haunting his campaign, he made just 14 La Liga starts and managed only a single goal.

But throughout this list, we have utilised an element of projection for the newer deals or younger players, and it would be unfair not to do the same for Hazard. With that in mind, and with memories of his dovetailing with Karim Benzema beautifully post-lockdown, you can only see good things ahead (fitness permitting).

It ranks low in the list because €100 million is a lot of money, and he's 29 with a propensity to get hurt. But at top form, he's the sort of player who's worth that sum, and good fitness should pave the way for a devastating second season.

     

7. Rodrygo, Real Madrid

€45 million from Santos, 2019

"Madrid will sign the best again when the situation changes," president Florentino Perez told El Transistor (h/t ESPN) last week, confirming no major signings will be made in 2020.

The coronavirus pandemic has played a big part in that decision, but so will the fact that Madrid have a glut of superb young players coming through who can make an impact in lieu of new arrivals. Rodrygo is one of many, but crucially for him, he plays in one of the few weak positions Los Blancos have: right wing.

He's flashed quality over the course of 2019-20, bagging a perfect hat-trick against Galatasaray and scoring in four separate other games. He's technically very clean, cuts inside on to his left foot well but can also go the other way and has an assertiveness and decisiveness to his playing style.

With the Gareth Bale situation a big question mark, Rodrygo has the chance to nail down a spot in the starting XI over the rest of 2020 and grow into something special.

         

6. Frenkie de Jong, Barcelona

€75 million from Ajax, 2019

It's impossible to escape the feeling Frenkie de Jong hasn't shown his best form for Barcelona.

It's also impossible to escape the feeling that his form is coming, and that this transfer will pay dividends in the years to come.

We've seen him sparkle in games, feeding Lionel Messi the ball and ghosting through tackles; we've also seen him deployed in wider positions and struggle to find his rhythm. The likelihood is his Barca career will settle down when the club and managerial situations settle down, and he'll show his old Ajax form in Blaugrana colours.

De Jong looked made for Barca before he arrived, and what he's managed in season one hasn't changed that assertion.

        

5. Samuel Umtiti, Barcelona

€25 million from Lyon, 2016

In a truly shocking run from 2015 to 2018, every transfer Barca struck was at best OK, if not pretty poor, with the exception of one: Umtiti for €25 million in 2016.

That summer, he went to UEFA Euro 2016 with France, stepping in during the knockout stages to win his first cap against Iceland and then keeping his place for the Germany and Portugal games. Barcelona were likely sat there smiling; they had secured his signature just days before his international debut got everyone talking.

For two years, he was a rock at the back alongside Gerard Pique, looking every bit the complete centre-back. Things have been tougher of late, with injuries hampering his momentum to the point that 2020 performances have actually looked quite poor. But considering what they have already got from him, plus his cheap price, Umtiti (26) is a success story who could yet rediscover his top level in the future.

         

4. Ferland Mendy, Real Madrid

€48 million from Lyon, 2019

It can't be easy arriving at Real Madrid as a €48 million specialist left-back and introducing yourself to Marcelo—the man who has held the position for a decade and has more trophies to show for it than a single room could house.

But Ferland Mendy (with the help of a few Marcelo injuries) has clocked more than 20 starts at left-back this season and has been picked for some big games. Manager Zinedine Zidane appears to value his more secure, defensively conscious style.

He mixes a mindful defensive game with a strong attacking one, boasting the recovery pace (and mentality) to impact in every phase. Left-footers like that are rare; Real Madrid have a gem.

            

3. Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid

€45 million from Flamengo, 2018

Madrid's decision to drop €45 million on a 16-year-old from Brazil raised eyebrows across the globe, but they had come to the same conclusion anyone else does after seeing him kick a ball for five minutes: the kid is destined for greatness.

He's been integrated slowly at the Bernabeu, coming in for spells and then stepping aside, with only one major issue arising during his first year or so in Spain. He struggled to compose himself at the end of his majestic dribbles, often skewing shots or making the wrong decision.

In 2020, he's made big strides in this area—the disallowed goal at the end of the recent win over Villarreal, where Vinicius beat five players from the corner flag to tee up Marco Asensio, stands as evidence of this—and when it finally, fully clicks, Madrid will have a world-class winger on their hands.

               

2. Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid

€35 million from Chelsea, 2018

Fresh off the back of a stellar performance at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Madrid snagged Courtois for just €35 million as he only had a year left on his contract at Chelsea.

His first season was pretty bumpy, and the presence of Keylor Navas—a man who had won four Champions Leagues in five years—vying with him for the spot between the sticks complicated matters.

This term, we've seen Courtois at his best, though. With Navas gone, and the defence improved, things were always going to get better, but the big Belgian has produced some sensational individual performances and saves that have visibly contributed to results and their title win.

At peak level, he is one of the five best goalkeepers in the world, and the price tags for the others in that bracket, like Alisson Becker and Jan Oblak, seem to range from around €70 million to €100 million. Courtois for half that lower figure is a steal.

        

1. Marco Asensio, Real Madrid

€3.5 million from Mallorca, 2015

Real Madrid have dominated this list as they've steadily signed excellent players and prospects over the past five years, but the common theme is they have tended to pay a lot.

Aside from Marco Asensio and his paltry €3.5 million fee, the average price of the Madrid players in this list is €45.5 million. Just one of those deals would shatter most clubs' transfer records, and they have made six transfers of that ilk.

But Asensio is different—a rare bargain find for a club accustomed to paying top dollar.

It can be argued an ACL tear last summer is the only reason he hasn't forced his way into Zidane's starting XI on a permanent basis. And now he's back to fitness, he's impressing greatly.

His combination of rapier-like speed, directness, crossing and shooting make him so difficult to deal with; he's willing to take the ball and try to make the difference over and over.

In terms of money spent vs. returns and player potential, Asensio is the clear No. 1 in this list, representing one of the great bargains of the past decade.

Lionel Messi is planning to leave Barcelona when his contract expires in 2021, according to Manu Carreno of Cadena Ser (via Santi Gimenez of AS).

The superstar has apparently halted all talks with the club about renewing his contract after initial discussions appeared to be going well between his father and Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

Among the reported concerns from Messi, he believes "certain sections of the club always blame him for everything that goes wrong at the Camp Nou," per Gimenez.

According to Moises Llorens and Sam Marsden of ESPN, Messi felt he was incorrectly blamed for the firing of Ernesto Valverde. After sporting director Eric Abidal indicated some unnamed players weren't happy with Valverde, Messi hit back with a message on Instagram.

"When things don't go well on the pitch, the players are the first ones to recognise as much," he wrote. "Those in the sporting department at the club should also take responsibility for their actions and decisions."

Messi has put together an incredible career at Barcelona, winning the Ballon d'Or six times. He scored his 700th career goal Tuesday in a draw against Atletico Madrid:

Messi’s 700th career goal was a panenka.

Ice cold ❄️

(via @beINSPORTS_EN)pic.twitter.com/FBM3e36P43

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 30, 2020

Even at 33, he remains an elite player with 22 goals and 17 assists in La Liga this season, leading the league in each category.

His individual production hasn't been enough to carry Barcelona, however, as the club sits four points behind Real Madrid for first place in the table.

The legend of Lionel Messi continues to grow.

The Barcelona superstar scored his 700th career goal between club and country during Barca's 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid in La Liga at the Camp Nou on Tuesday. His 630 goals for Barcelona in 724 total appearances and 70 goals for Argentina in 138 caps are both records by a wide margin. Barca's Cesar Rodriguez (232 goals) and Argentina's Gabriel Batistuta (52 goals) are a distant second.

7⃣0⃣0⃣ goals for club & country. Leo Messi 👏👏👏#UCL | @FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/ouDKKS7CDH

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) June 30, 2020

He is also La Liga's all-time leading scorer, with 441 goals, and has scored 20 or more goals in league play in 12 straight seasons. Former Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, now with Juventus, is second all-time in La Liga history with 311 tallies.

Ronaldo is the only other active player with over 700 goals for club and country.

Cristiano Ronaldo:
❍ 729 career goals
❍ 629 club
❍ 99 country

Lionel Messi:
❍ 700 career goals
❍ 630 club
❍ 70 country

We have been treated to greatness. Twice. https://t.co/TsB20nFCkT

— Squawka (@Squawka) June 30, 2020

They are in a select club of just seven players ever to have reached the milestone:

With a penalty kick, Lionel Messi joined "The 700 Club." He has scored 630 goals for Barcelona and 70 playing for Argentina. pic.twitter.com/uy942hqbv7

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 30, 2020

For over a decade, soccer fans have gotten to watch two of the greatest players in history go back and forth, scoring goals at a breakneck pace, collecting awards nearly as quickly and dominating the sport. Wherever people fall on the Messi vs. Ronaldo debate, there's little doubting the impact both have had on the sport.

But while Messi stole the headlines Tuesday, Barcelona's 2-2 draw kept it a point behind Real Madrid, with Los Blancos holding a game in hand. With just five games remaining for Barca, the Catalan side is in real danger of conceding the title to its bitter rivals.

Barcelona has won the last two La Liga titles and has been champion in eight of the past 11 seasons. Real Madrid last took home the title in the 2016-17 campaign.