Lionel Messi transfer news: MLS is still knocking

The issue surrounding Lionel Messi's future is heading to a fever pitch very soon with FC Barcelona's presidential elections coming up on March 7. The results of the elections will play a key role in Messi's contract renewal, and it remains to be seen if Major League Soccer (MLS) will continue to be an attractive prospect.

It may be remembered that Messi expressed his desire to leave the club last summer, while then-president Josep Maria Bartomeu was still in charge. A lot has happened since then, with Messi being forced to stay due to his massive release clause. Bartomeu and the rest of his board were all forced to resign eventually, and the elections for a replacement are about to take place in just a few weeks.

Following the fiasco last summer, Messi mentioned that he would like to one day play in the MLS. According to Marca, fellow Argentine Franco Jara is keen on having his countryman join him in the United States. Jara currently plays for FC Dallas, and is beside himself at the thought of having Messi in the league.

"If he [Messi] comes to play [in MLS], I'd kiss his feet. It would be insane, a madness. Over the course of my career, when I was in the national team, I had the chance to share [the pitch] with players like them but having him face to face is totally different," said Jara.

The new Barcelona president will have the monumental task of sorting Messi's contract on his table as soon as he is elected. Not all of the candidates have openly declared that asking Messi to stay is top priority. Messi himself has not spoken about his desire to stay nor of any plans to join a different club. He wants to keep winning silverware, and he will likely need to see what will happen at the end of the season before he can make a final decision.

The fact is, almost any club would want to have Messi in the roster. However, not many can afford him even if he agrees to a pay cut. It may seem that Messi has all the doors open for him, but the reality is that there are really only a few options available. The MLS is knocking, but there is no real evidence that someone is willing to make a serious offer at this time.

Either way, it won't be long now before the elections take place and more pieces of the puzzle will soon fall into place.