Lionel Messi’s public bust-up with Barcelona means he could leave the Spanish club for free — and there’s plenty of interesting already brewing from some of the globe’s biggest teams.

Staying in Spain and La Liga heavyweights Real and Barca have joined Manchester United in the race to sign one of English football’s brightest young prospects.

That and more in this edition of Rumour Mill!

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PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPS HOPING TO SIGN MESSI FOR FREE

Manchester City will swoop for Lionel Messi if he fails to resolve a bust-up with Barcelona.

The Argentine legend’s future has been plunged into doubt after a public fallout with club sporting director Eric Abidal.

City have believed for years that if 32-year-old Messi ever left Barcelona, his most likely destination would be the Etihad.

He had some of the best times of his career during Pep Guardiola’s four-year Nou Camp reign, twice winning the Champions League.

And City big-wigs Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain maintain a warm relationship with the player and his family.

So his public row with Abidal is unlikely to have gone unnoticed among the City hierarchy, as well as Europe’s other top clubs.

The spat reportedly came to light after Messi took exception to the former France international’s criticism of the team in the final few weeks of Ernesto Valverde’s reign.

Messi's spat with Barca sporting director Abidal could lead to a free transfer

REAL AND BARCA JOIN UNITED IN GREALISH RACE

Barcelona and Real Madrid have joined Manchester United’s hunt for Aston Villa’s attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.

Both Spanish giants are tracking the exciting 24-year-old as they identify their top transfer targets for the summer.

Their interest will be a major blow to United, who have made Grealish their No. 1 option to become the new playmaker at Old Trafford.

Grealish’s sparkling form has convinced a number of Premier League and European clubs he is the real deal and he has not escaped notice from Spain’s top two clubs.

Now Villa are steeling themselves for offers at the end of this campaign.

Birmingham-born Grealish is likely to have his pick over who he wants to join, whether or not he helps Villa avoid relegation this season.

Grealish is being monitored by two of football’s biggest teams

LACAZETTE, AUBAMEYANG AND OZIL FACING ARSENAL AXEING

Mikel Arteta is planning a major Arsenal shake-up to kickstart his stalled Emirates revolution.

And senior stars including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil are all threatened.

New boss Arteta has been disappointed by the team’s lack of progress since he was appointed seven weeks ago and now believes his underperforming squad needs major surgery after assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the players he inherited from Unai Emery.

With the team in serious danger of failing to qualify for Europe for the first time since 1996, Arteta accepts he might have to sell a number of the club’s highest-paid players to finance a summer spending spree.

Six senior players, including top earners Ozil and Aubameyang, are out of contract in less than 18 months’ time.

Head of football Raul Sanllehi has made it clear to Arteta that no one will be allowed to run down their deals then leave as a free agent next year.

Arsenal are poised for a post-season squad overhaul

BLUES AND UNITED IN TUG-OF-WAR OVER SANCHO

Chelsea and Manchester United are set to battle it out again for Borussia Dortmund superstar Jadon Sancho this summer.

The 19-year-old England winger is one of the hottest properties in Europe after another stunning Bundesliga campaign.

The ex-Manchester City star continues to break records, as he continues his free-scoring and assisting season.

Blues boss Frank Lampard looked at bringing Sancho in during the January transfer window.

But he was forced into coolly interest, as he struggled to strike up a deal and decided to wait until the summer.

United had a similar issue, and could not fork out the £100m (A$192m) fee being demanded along with Bruno Fernandes £55m ($106m) outlay.

It is understood Chelsea would have to offload some of their similar players – such as Willian – to go in for Sancho.