2021 has already been an incredible year in football, and events of recent days have seen the goings on at the top level of the game become even more unbelievable.

It’s tempting to say this year’s series of inconceivable events reached a high watermark when the news broke on Thursday that Lionel Messi will not sign a new contract with Barcelona. 

But as we saw with the extraordinary failed launch of the European Super League back in April, there is no limit to football’s ability to generate ridiculous storylines.