Lionel Messi alternatives for Barcelona

Barcelona fans, Lionel Messi will not be re-joining your club this summer. Instead he's decided to take his talents to Inter Miami.

Fear not though. It's not the end of the world as there's plenty more right forwards in the sea.

Here's five which Barcelona could try and sign this summer:

READ MORE ON LIONEL MESSI'S FUTURE

5. Angel Di Maria

So Barcelona, you wanted a veteran Argentina World Cup winner whose contract at a top European club is due to expire at the end of June?

Well have we got the Angel Di Maria for you.

Judging by his rather innocuous performances for Juventus in recent months however, he's probably not the Angel Di Maria that Barca would want. Expect the Argentine to head off to Saudi Arabia for a big payday instead.

4. Riyad Mahrez

Riyad Mahrez has been one of the most consistently brilliant right-sided forwards in Europe for the better part of the last decade.

After inspiring Leicester City to the Premier League title back in 2016, Mahrez has continued to impress at Manchester City over the last five seasons - hitting double figures in every single season at the Etihad.

Having been in Pep Guardiola's rotation for quite some time, now is as good a time as any for Mahrez to head off and become a consistent starter in pastures new.

3. Federico Chiesa

Due to the severity of the knee injury he suffered in January 2022 and his struggles to play 90 minutes ever since, signing Federico Chiesa would certainly be a risk.

However, if he can recapture anywhere near the form he showed for Italy during Euro 2020, this would certainly be a risk worth taking.

On his day there's very few more unstoppable wide players in world football.

2. Sadio Mane

Currently, Sadio Mane's stock is the lowest it's ever been.

Following a rather disastrous campaign at Bayern Munich, Mane is likely to be available for a fairly (in footballing terms anyways) minor fee.

As such, Mane could be a market opportunity too good to turn down for Barcelona.

1. Bernardo Silva

He was the first name that came to mind when you thought about Lionel Messi alternatives, wasn't he?

Of course he was.

And he was because he's not just the perfect alternative signing, he might actually be *whisper it* a better signing that Messi would be this summer.

The Portuguese star is a typical Barcelona player but can also do the dirty work off the ball which Messi currently can't do, and that will appeal to the watertight system Xavi has created at Camp Nou.