Lionel Messi Visits Old Friend, Immediately Sparks Barcelona Transfer Rumors Despite Lack Of Evidence

Poor Lionel Messi. It turns out that the Barcelona and Argentinian forward can’t even catch up with one of his oldest friends without sparking rumors that he might exit the Nou Camp.

Last week Lionel Messi was pictured enjoying an evening with Cesc Fabregas. The duo have known each other since they were teenagers learning their craft at Barcelona’s La Masia training complex. They even played alongside each other when Fabregas was at Barcelona between 2011 and 2014.

Fabregas and Messi were spotted enjoying a night at a casino in London. However, for some reason, this immediately sparked rumors from the British press that Messi might be on the precipice of transferring from Barcelona to Chelsea, all of which would, presumably, have been instigated Fabregas.

There wasn’t a shred of evidence to suggest this was even a remote possibility, and now, while talking to Four Four Two, via Bleacher Report, Messi has indicated that the British press have twisted his private life to create stories he could be leaving the Nou Camp. “I do not suffer intrusion into my private life by the media in Barcelona,” Messi told Four Four Two.

This is the latest in a long line of flimsy evidence that has been used to suggest Messi might be on the verge of transferring to Chelsea. In the past his Instagram, Twitter and Facebook movements have even been used to tease that Messi is hinting he’d like to move to either Jose Mourinho’s Stamford Bridge outfit or Manuel Pellegrini’s Manchester City.

It’s looking more and more unlikely that Messi will ever leave Barcelona. Rumors of his discontent with Barcelona’s new manager Luis Enrique have died down since the new year, especially as Messi has been in truly sparkling form as he wrestles to win the best soccer player in the world label back from Cristiano Ronaldo.

And while Barcelona’s Director Ariedo Braida couldn’t admit that a transfer to Manchester City would never happen while talking to Esport 3, via Bleacher Report, he indicated that it’s unlikely.

“I believe it’s very difficult that Messi will leave Barca but at times in football strange things happen. Now with these clubs that have so much money like [Manchester] City, certain amounts don’t seem to have a value. In football things happen that appear impossible but I hope he will remain.”

Meanwhile, Sky Sports’ Guillem Balague reiterated that all evidence suggests Messi’s future is at Barcelona, as last month he tweeted that Messi is currently looking for a school for his young son that is near where he currently lives in Spain.

[Image via Levif]