Do you reckon Eric Abidal regrets the interview he gave earlier this week?The Barcelona sporting director couldn’t possibly predict the furore he was about to cause after he criticised the attitude of some of the club’s players.Lionel Messi hit back on Instagram and there are reports that Abidal could now be sacked.While those reports haven’t quite come to fruition just yet, there are also sensational rumours linking Messi with a move away from the cub.A special clause in the Argentine’s contract means that he’s free to leave at the end of the season if he wants.

And given his current frustrations at the Camp Nou, that unlikely scenario is looking...well, less unlikely.

Italian outlet Gazzetta Dello Sport claim that Manchester United, Juventus, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan are all interested.

But could they afford him even if he did arrive for free?

Well, Belgian journalist Kristof Terreur has reminded everyone of the report from Football Leaks a few years ago that revealed Messi’s earnings.

His basic wage at Barcelona is an eye-watering €60.39 million every year, which works out at £988,000 a week. Pretty much one million English pounds every week. Wow.

On top of that, Messi pockets £9.1 million every year with image rights, £13 million every year with possible bonuses as well as another £120 million over five years for his signing on & loyalty fee.

It may be a free transfer but signing Messi isn’t going to come without a ridiculous cost - more than £100 million every year!

Considering he will be 33-years-old in the summer, it’s unlikely that a club is going to break the bank and fracture their entire wage structure to sign him at this stage of his career.

Then again, the chance to sign the greatest footballer of all-time doesn’t come around everyday…