In one of the most bizarre market movements of the January window, bookmakers have significantly shortened the odds on Lionel Messi making a sensational switch to Liverpool. While the prospect of the Argentine icon trading South Beach for Merseyside remains firmly in the realm of fantasy, the shift in betting patterns highlights the growing anxiety surrounding Mohamed Salah’s long-term future.
A report from Bookies.com has highlighted this unexpected fluctuation, positioning Liverpool as a shock contender in the "next club" market for the Inter Miami captain. This development appears to be less about concrete negotiations and more a reflection of the market hedging against a potential summer of upheaval at Anfield.
The Salah Vacuum
The catalyst for this speculative frenzy is undoubtedly the situation involving Mohamed Salah. With the Egyptian’s contract ticking down and tensions reportedly simmering with manager Arne Slot regarding playing time and tactical usage, the fear of a summer exit is palpable.
Bookmakers often adjust markets based on "scenario planning," and the logic—however stretched—is that if Liverpool lose their global superstar, they are one of the few clubs with the financial muscle and sporting prestige to offer Messi a final European swansong. The narrative suggests FSG would need a commercial and sporting replacement of equal magnitude to appease the fanbase, hence the sudden appearance of Liverpool in the Messi market.
The Inter Miami Reality
However, the sporting reality paints a very different picture. Messi is currently contracted to Inter Miami until the end of the 2025 MLS season, having just led the franchise to their maiden MLS Cup title. His focus is squarely on the 2026 World Cup in North America, and uprooting his family from Florida to the Premier League at the age of 38 defies the trajectory of his recent career choices.
Furthermore, Liverpool’s recruitment model under Richard Hughes and FSG is rigidly built on acquiring peak-age or developing talent. Signing a veteran superstar on astronomical wages would represent a complete abandonment of the strategy that has defined their modern era. While Arne Slot would undoubtedly admire Messi’s genius, the physical demands of his high-pressing system would make accommodating the Argentine a tactical headache.
What the Odds Actually Mean
It is crucial to interpret these odds correctly. A shortening of price does not equate to "insider information" in this context; rather, it reflects a lack of obvious alternatives in the market. With Messi unlikely to join a direct European rival of Barcelona, and Saudi Arabia already rejected, Liverpool have simply drifted into the vacuum of "plausible" destinations by virtue of their status and the Salah uncertainty.
The Lionel Messi next club odds are better viewed as a barometer of the transfer market's unpredictability than a genuine signal of intent. For now, Liverpool fans should be more concerned with retaining their current King of Egypt than dreaming of the Argentine GOAT.