Lionel Messi’s reported refusal to sign a new contract with Barcelona has sparked up rumours of the Argentine leaving the club in the near future. The 33-year-old contract with the Catalan club expires in 2021 and if he is to leave after that, Inter Milan are being tipped as the one to sign him. The Nerazzurri, on several occasions, have been linked with the superstar and might get the chance to bring him to Italy next year. Inter Milan President Still Interested in Signing Barcelona Star.

According to a report from La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Inter Milan are preparing a huge offer for the Argentine superstar in order to persuade him to leave Catalonia. Lionel Messi is seemingly unhappy with the way the club is being run at the moment and also has been critical of the team’s performances in recent weeks, which cost them the La Liga title. Lionel Messi Joins Inter Milan? Serie A Club Teases Fans Using Argentine's Silhouette of His Celebratory Picture.

It is understood that the Italian side are ready to offer Lionel Messi a staggering amount of £235 million to join them. The Nerazzurri are planning to give the Argentine superstar a four-year deal in which he will earn up to £60 million a season.

Inter Milan have been interested in signing the Argentine since he was a teenager but the move never materialized. Recent reports from Italy suggest that current Inter Milan president Steven Zhang was ready to sign Lionel Messi by all means necessary in 2016, but the deal was put off quickly due to the Financial Fair play (FFP) Rules.

If Inter Milan manage to sign Lionel Messi, the six-time Ballon d’Or winner will reignite his age-old rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently plays for Juventus. The deal offered by the Nerazzurri will also see the Argentine overtake his Portuguese counterpart as the league’s top earner. The 35-year-old was making £27.3m from his salary at Juve before lockdown.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 01, 2020 11:58 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).