Following revelations that Lionel Messi is reportedly considering leaving FC Barcelona, the chief executive of tyre company Pirelli has admitted he could help Inter Milan sign the Argentina superstar.
With Messi entering the final year of his contract with Barca, reports emerged last week that he would not be renewing his deal with the club, putting some of the biggest teams around the world on high alert.
READ: Messi to quit Barca in 2021?
Inter Milan are one of those clubs, and having previously made their interest in the six-time Ballon d'Or winner public, could now be backed in a small way by sponsor Pirelli to make the move happen.
"Honestly, at a time like this, we're unable to invest in sports more than we are, between Formula 1, the America's Cup and Inter," Pirelli CEO Tronchetti Provera told Gr Parlamento.
"We have to ask [Inter owner] Steven Zhang to make an effort himself. We can help, but we can't do anything significant."
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READ: Barca break silence on Messi exit talk
In the intervening period, Barca chairman Josep Maria Bartomeu has played down the rumours of Messi's exit and assured the club's supporters that the 33-year-old would finish his career at the Camp Nou.
"I am not going to give details but Messi has said many times that he will end his football life in Barcelona," Bartomeu said, per BBC Sport.
"We are focused on [the] competition and there are negotiations with many players. Messi wants to continue and wants to end [his career] here. He has many years left and we are going to enjoy him for much longer."