Messi: I would never play for another European club

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Europe's top clubs need not bother with any bids for Barcelona's Lionel Messi, as the Argentinian has declared he wouldn't consider playing for any other team on the continent.

Messi, coming off his fifth Ballon d'Or win, told France Football he plans to stay at Barcelona for the rest of his career, but didn't rule out a move back home to his native Argentina to close out his career.

"I'd never play for another European club," said the 28-year-old, courtesy of Sky Sports. 

"Barcelona is my home and I want to retire here. However, it's possible I could end my career in Argentina. Anything could happen in the future, but I want to stay here."

Rumours have intimated that Messi could make the jump to the Premier League, specifically Manchester City, if and when former boss Pep Guardiola takes the bench there. 

Messi has also been linked with Inter Milan in the past, with former Argentina teammate Juan Sebastian Veron revealing that Messi had previously thought about joining the Nerazzurri.

A return to Newell's Old Boys - where Messi began his career as a youth before joining Barcelona as a 13-year-old - is also a possibility.

Right now, though, the reigning world player of the year is comfortable in familiar surroundings. He said he feels better than he had in previous years, putting any injury worries behind him.

"I had injuries in 2013 and 2014 that meant I wasn't at the top of my game, whereas now I am. I feel I'm back at the level I was at three or four seasons ago," he said.

"If another Ballon d'Or comes along then great, but if I don't win any more, it's no big deal."

TheScore​

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Manchester City Make Yaya Toure The Highest-Paid Premier League Player In History

Manchester City have made Yaya Toure the highest earning Premier League player in history, according to theNews of the World.

The newspaper claims the 27-year-old, who joined City in a £24 million deal from Barcelona last week, signed a five-year-deal worth a staggering £55.6m.

Toure will be picking up a basic wage of £185,000 a week before tax but that figure will increase to £221,000 when the Government's 50% tax bracket comes into force.

On top of his unbelievable basic wage, the Ivory Coast international will also be getting an image rights payment of £1.65m a year plus an additional £823,000 bonus each time City qualify for the Champions League.

Toure will also collect a £412,000 bonus should he win the Champions League with City whilst there are also additional bonuses for winning the Premier League and FA Cup - all tax-free.

The midfielder, who will be playing alongside brother Kolo at Eastlands, made just 13 starts in all competitions for Barcelona last season.

Toure is City's third summer signing so far after David Silva signed from Valencia for £24m and the £11m capture of Hamburg defender Jerome Boateng.

The club are also reportedly still aiming to complete a £25m deal to buy England midfielder James Milner from Aston Villa.

Top English football club interested in IPL, says Modi

Lalit Modi, the IPL commissioner, claims a leading English football club is interested in bidding for a new team in the fourth edition of the IPL next year. In an interview to the Times, Modi - also the Champions League Twenty20 commissioner - said he was in talks with the Marylebone Cricket Club who were also apparently eager to become involved in the IPL.

"There is a football club, a very famous football club in the UK, very interested in bidding," Modi said. "[They are] probably one of the most famous football clubs - that's all I can say. Probably top three. They are interested in taking a stake."

Responding to speculation in the Indian media, Modi later said on his Twitter page that the club in mention was not Chelsea. A report in the Sun named Manchester City as the team looking at buying a franchise although the club told Cricinfo they were not involved.

The IPL will include two more teams from the 2011 season and will auction the franchise rights at a base price of $225 million ahead of the third season, which starts in India on March 12, and will invite potential investors this week. That figure - double of what the most expensive franchise was sold for in 2008 and more than four times the base price in that first auction - is, in an uncertain market, a sign of the league's confidence in itself and the Twenty20 format.

According to Modi, the MCC would be a value addition to the IPL and open up the possibility of taking the bandwagon overseas to Lord's. "I have talked [to MCC] last night and they are quite interested," he said.

Keith Bradshaw, the MCC chief executive, did not deny he had been approached but would not confirm to join the IPL. "At the moment, our finances are focused on the redevelopment of the ground," he said.

The league's expansion will see a much longer fixture list - 94 games as opposed to 59 in the first two seasons if the format remains the same - and accommodating it in the 45-day window without compromising players' fitness, and keeping the international calendar in mind, will be a challenge.

Chelsea? or Manchester City?

Time will tell us...