Lionel Messi ready to quit Barcelona for Manchester United or Chelsea

LIONEL MESSI has reportedly indicated he is ready to leave Barcelona for a move to the Premier League.

Messi is currently sidelined at the Nou Camp with a knee ligament injury.

And with the Argentina superstar embroiled in an ongoing dispute with the Spanish authorities it is claimed he is considering leaving.

The Sun report Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City have all made informal approaches to Messi's representatives this week - with one club making contact twice this week.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi is apparently considering a move to the Premier League

Messi was linked with the Prem's big hitters in January but has apparently given indication he is willing to listen this time around.

The Sun add Messi often speaks to his friends who play in the Premier League such as Cesc Fabregas and Sergio Aguero. 

A summer move is unlikely given the 28-year-old's £180million release clause at Barcelona.

But in June 2017, Messi will be 30 with just a year left on his deal with the Spanish giants - making a move more feasible.

Messi and his father Jorge face trial over an alleged £3.1million tax fraud relating to image rights deals.

The man who wants to take the Messis to court is State Attorney Marta Silva Lapuerta, who intriguingly worked as secretary of the Real Madrid board under current president Florentino Perez.

However, Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho believes the Premier League lacks the pull to land a player like Messi.

"I think there are only three clubs in the world who have the power to say, 'I don't sell,'" Mourinho said in August. "This is Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

"Is anyone in England interested in Thomas Muller? For sure. Can we, England, bring Thomas Muller from Bayern? I don't think so.

"Does anyone want [Lionel] Messi? Can you bring him? I don't think so. They are big clubs with big history, economically strong and stable, income amazing. I think they sell when they want to sell.

"When you see a player leave one of these big clubs you have to think it's because they want him to go. That's my feeling.

"[I'm] speaking about the ones who make the world stop. Big transfers. When does Messi leave Barcelona? When he finishes his career. Report from express.co.uk

Mourinho: One mistake cost Chelsea

Jose Mourinho has likened referee Damir Skomina in Chelsea's 0-0 Champions League draw with Dynamo Kiev to rugby official Craig Joubert.

Joubert refereed Australia's quarter-final Rugby World Cup victory over Scotland at the weekend, and awarded a controversial penalty for accidental offside that enabled the Wallabies to come from behind and win in the closing stages.

And Mourinho believes Skomina's decision not to award Chelsea a penalty after Cesc Fabregas was brought down by Sergiy Rybalka in the first half in Kiev on Tuesday was just as impactful.

"Our performance was solid, we had control of the game for 75 minutes. We hit the post, [should have] had a penalty," Mourinho said.

"It was a clear penalty. I don't know, the referee didn't see it, he didn't want to give it - I don't know.

"One mistake cost Scotland in the rugby. Here, one mistake cost Chelsea."

Mourinho labelled the Slovenian official "weak and naive" immediately following the clash in Kiev.

When asked whether he believed he would be fined for his comment, Mourinho gave a light-hearted reply: "Okay, it was not a penalty."

Kompany fit for Sevilla - Pellegrini

Despite missing the weekend win over AFC Bournemouth, Vincent Kompany is fit enough to face Sevilla , Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed.

Pellegrini was angry that Kompany played in Belgium's final Euro 2016 qualifier against Israel despite struggling with a calf problem, and he opted to leave the centre-back on the bench for Saturday's 5-1 victory.

Pellegrini has confirmed that Kompany is ready to play in Wednesday's Champions League clash, however, while Aleksandar Kolarov is also in the squad.

"Vincent was fit for the last game. Aleks is fit so is in the squad list," said the former Villarreal boss. "[Gael] Clichy, [Fabian] Delph, Sergio Aguero and David Silva are injured."

Pellegrini confirmed that Aguero, who damaged a hamstring while on Argentina duty, will definitely face a month on the sidelines - but there is better news concerning City's other injured trio.

"Aguero is out for a month. Maybe next week Clichy, Delph and Silva will be fit," he said.

Pellegrini has backed Wilfried Bony - who netted twice against Bournemouth - to continue his goalscoring form for City against a Sevilla side he expects to produce a stern test at the Etihad Stadium.

"Bony can play with or without Kun - Aguero doesn't have to be missing for him to play. He's a key player for this squad," he continued.

"Maybe everyone thought that Sevilla would be better in the Spanish league at this moment. They've maybe not started well but they beat Barcelona so it's not easy.

"I spoke with the players this morning, we are sure we will play against the real Sevilla tomorrow – it's different to the domestic league.

"I am sure we will see them qualified for the next Champions League at the end of the season. They are an important team.

"Tomorrow we have to win here at home against a difficult team – all the other things are just statistics and history and won't help us to win."

FIFA presidential election to hold on February 26

FIFA's presidential elections will go ahead as planned on February 26 next year, the governing body's executive committee has confirmed.

The provisional 90-day suspension levelled at incumbent Sepp Blatter - as well as secretary general Jerome Valcke - as part of FIFA's anti-corruption investigations had led to calls for the elections to be brought forward or suspended.

Following an extraordinary meeting of the executive committee on Tuesday, however, FIFA has announced the extraordinary elective congress will be held on the original date at the end of February 2016.

FIFA has also confirmed that the code of ethics will be subjected to an amendment in order to create "more transparency" relating to the organisation's activities.

The change will be made to article 36 of the current code, which specifies the levels to which executive committee members must keep the details of their operations confidential.

Blatter was re-elected as FIFA president in May, though he later announced he would step down from his position after claiming he did not feel he had the support of football at large.

The 79-year-old was provisionally suspended earlier this month following the launch of a criminal investigation into his actions. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Ronaldo will score goals - Benitez

Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez says Cristiano Ronaldo guarantees goals, amid suggestions his side are struggling to click in the final third.

Madrid take on Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday off the back of a 3-0 victory against Levante in La Liga where they were without the likes of Karim Benzema and James Rodriguez.

Prior to the weekend, which saw Ronaldo become the club's all-time leading goalscorer, Benitez's men had scored only six goals in five games amid a functional start to his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"We have a guarantee of goals with Cristiano and as a team we know what we need to do on the pitch," the Spaniard explained.

"Despite the injuries our team has some spectacular statistics. Our team is a team that attacks. Our idea is to score goals and to win the match."

Gareth Bale was withdrawn in the second half of Saturday's win after a recurrence of his calf problem while Luka Modric is also a doubt for Wednesday's clash in Paris.

"We left [Bale] out of Levante, I have the feeling that he is tired, he says he has a small injury but wants to play," Benitez added.

"I decided with my coaching staff to replace him and then we found that he had an injury, but things went well. 

"Losing a player of his quality is important but in the second half the team played well and ended up winning.

"[Modric] has trained these past few days and if he is here it is because we think he is fit, we will train later and then take a better decision."