Transfer news: Lionel Messi too expensive for any club to risk, says financial expert David Bick

Sports business consultant David Bick believes it is near-impossible for any club to afford Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.

The Argentina star’s future in Catalonia is currently in doubt, with widespread reports in Spain claiming he has fallen out with manager Luis Enrique.

Sky Sports' Spanish football expert Guillem Balague admitted Messi has "never been closer" to leaving the Nou Camp, but expects the attacker to stay at the club due to new presidential elections taking place in the summer that should stabilise the troubled club.

Balague worked out Messi would cost a club close to £550m in total - a sum Bick believes not even Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain or Chelsea could risk.

Bick told Sky Sports News HQ: "I don’t think any club could afford it.

If we convert it all into pounds, as an annual figure it effectively amounts to £100m-plus per annum. I don’t think anyone in their right mind would do that.

"If we convert it all into pounds, as an annual figure it effectively amounts to £100m-plus per annum. I don’t think anyone in their right mind would do that.

"As this situation with Messi goes on, the euro keeps declining against the dollar and pound sterling. Shirts sales won’t cover that and again it comes back to Financial Fair Play.

"Any club that spends that much on a player, effectively half a billion pounds over five years, would have to fillet out a lot of top players to do that.

"And to be honest, I think this is more about a political dispute between the manager and Messi than a real desire for him to leave."

Balague previously said: “If you want to buy Messi, you have to pay the buyout clause needed, which is £195m.

"That has to be paid to the player so he can free himself from the contract, so on top of that you have to add about 50-60 per cent tax, also paid by the new employers.

"You would need about a five-year deal, about £15m net per year. That’s about £550m to get Messi in total."