Bundesliga
"Messi's No.10 taken by Kruse!" - Union Berlin
Lionel Messi’s signature may well be the most desired in world football following Barcelona’s announcement that the Argentine’s contract will not be extended, but one club with no room for the legendary forward is Union Berlin.
That’s according to Union coach Urs Fischer, who says Messi wouldn’t be able to dislodge Max Kruse from his first team.
Germany international Kruse scored 11 times in 22 Bundesliga appearances across his first season in Berlin, one of which saw the 33-year-old bag a dramatic 92nd-minute winner against RB Leipzig on the final day of the season to secure Die Eisernen’s spot in the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League.
Messi, meanwhile, found the back of the net 30 times in Spain’s LaLiga, but even if Union were presented with the chance to sign the 34-year-old, Fischer says he wouldn’t want to swap out his current talismanic No.10 for the Argentina international.
"Lionel Messi wouldn’t have a chance with us because the 10 is taken [by Kruse]. That’s why it would be incredibly difficult," joked Fischer on the eve of Union’s season opening DFB Cup meeting with Türkgücü München.
With news of Messi’s Barcelona departure dominating headlines this week, one Bundesliga side that didn’t rule themselves out of the running were Augsburg.
Their English-language Twitter account was quick to remind the world that their own No.10 shirt is currently vacant, teasing: "The #10 shirt is open at FC Augsburg".