Speaking before the last Champions League game between Barcelona and Manchester City, Pep Guardiola didn't so much open the door to the possibility of Lionel Messi ending up his club, as take it off the hinges. 'Maybe he will think, 'okay I want to go play somewhere else' because maybe he wants his kids to speak English or live a different experience, like happened to many of us. Maybe it could happen,' he said.

It was a loud and clear call to his curiosity. It was neon-flashing 'What if' sign hung over his head.

Lionel Messi training with his Barcelona teammates at the Etihad Stadium

Messi walks out at Manchester City - but could there ever be a time this is a regular thing

Everyone knows the Argentinian is happy in Barcelona but does he really want to retire from European football a one-club man? Sportsmail looks at the factors that he would consider before taking the plunge.

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Ambition

He has won everything at Barcelona but there are titles that Barcelona cannot win – the Premier League and the FA Cup – that might appeal to Messi. There is no question as to which team-mate he is closest to at Barcelona and there is also no question that Luis Suarez is a big fan of the Premier League.

He has told his pal – during down time at Barcelona's Sant Joan Despi Cuidad de Futbol training complex, and at the nursery gates as they wait together to pick up young sons Thiago and Benjamin – that playing in England is an experience unlike anything Messi would have encountered in Spain.

He will have heard similar things from his Argentina national team pals Sergio Aguero and Pablo Zabaleta.

There is no arena quite like the Nou Camp or fixture quite like the Clasico but every weekend would bring a different challenge, and a full stadium to play in front of in England.

Messi has won everything there is to win at Barcelona since breaking through in 2004

As well as club honours, Messi has won the Ballon d'Or five times

Money

It is more difficult than ever for Premier League sides to compete with Barcelona and Real Madrid in terms of wages for top players.

Messi earns £365,000-a-week after tax at Barcelona well beyond Premier League topper Paul Pogba who gross weekly wage is £290,000. But there are two reasons why that would not necessarily stop a move happening.

One is that Messi would not be going for the money, and the second that Sheikh Mansour and Roman Abramovich would both smash their wage structure to pull off the most sensational transfer coup in Premier League history. The Glazers would also find the money and with Jose Mourinho admitting he'll cry a river the day Messi retires maybe United would be in the running.

Messi has also felt himself a victim of being singled out by the Spanish taxman and any English suitor could take advantage of him having further doubts over that 'victimisation' continuing in the future.

Messi's contract at Barcelona is worth £365,000-a-week - meaning not many clubs can afford him

The idea of testing himself in the Premier League could appeal to Messi in the future

Family

This was Guardiola's salient point. Maybe it will be a desire to give his children the chance to learn English that will swing it for Messi. His son Thiago is four and Mateo is two. A move in two years time would give him the opportunity to put both sons into select English schools in London or Manchester.

Messi's wife Antonella Roccuzzo would also be closer to her friend Daniella Semaan. The partner of Cesc Fabregas has made little secret of missing her pal Mrs Messi whenever posting pictures of the pair on social media since Fabregas left Barcelona and the two could be reunited albeit at different ends of the country if Messi headed to Manchester.

Messi may wish his children to learn English - which could sway a move to the Premier League

The temptation to join up with Guardiola's City revolution

It would certainly be one way of proving Barcelona's success between 2008-2012 was the Lionel Messi story not the Pep Guardiola one. Imagine Pep not winning the European Cup with City or Bayern until Messi turns up and leads the club to the ultimate club prize.

Messi is not really driven by such targets however. He is more likely to be tempted by the idea that it would be fun. Having already scored 16 goals in 15 games against English teams in the Champions League why not do much the same in the Premier League for City.

If Guardiola does get around to whispering in Lionel's ear one thing he might be able to tell him is that whereas in Spain he is regularly subjected to unfavourable songs about his physical stature, his IQ, and his strained relationship with the Spanish Inland Revenue, in England the chances are he would be applauded at every ground in the country win, lose or draw.

The vast majority would appreciate him and the chance to see him at their ground against their team.

Messi and Guardiola have always had a close relationship and could be tempted to work together again at Manchester City

Despite leaving Barcelona a number of years ago Guardiola and Messi remain on good terms

What about heading back to Argentina?

Of course all this might go straight over his head just like a long ball at Edgeley Park when Stockport County draw Manchester City in the first round proper of the FA Cup and Messi is still wondering when the winter break is coming.

Messi is from Rosario. He likes sipping Mate through a metal straw not Yorkshire Tea from a china mug. His favourite meal is steak in breadcrumbs not fish in batter and he while he is a fan of Gary Lineker and many of the goals he scored in a Barca shirt he won't be in tears the day he retires from football if he never appeared on Match of the Day.

He has already stated his desire to play for his first club Newell's Old Boys – closing the circle, finishing where he started. He told Tyc Sports this year: 'If I go back, it will be to Newell's'.

There was an 'if' however. So what 'if' he doesn't return to his homeland? Then the Premier League's slim chances of having him grace the stage are revived again.

Messi (left to right 3rd crouching down) could be tempted to return to Argentina to end his career