Messi's choices were limited to a few top-tier world teams, mostly those that had successfully reached the knockout stages of the Champions League the previous season, with one exception.
This exception was Manchester United, recently purchased by Cao Baming. Regardless of his plans for the club, Messi held immense trust in Cao Baming.
Even though they had only worked together at a club for a little over a year, Messi was well aware of his capabilities, understanding how much superior he was to many inactive owners.
No matter the club's current state, it was unlikely to fare poorly under Cao Baming's stewardship.
Today, Messi had just received an email from Cao Baming detailing his ideas for team building. In this email, Messi saw Guardiola, his long-desired head coach, and several players he respected, such as Luis Figo, Verratti, and Kanté.
Upon reading this, Messi was undeniably excited, as if a flower had quietly bloomed within his heart.
Cao Baming was notoriously stingy when it came to team expenses and salaries, but Messi knew that as his old friend, he wouldn't be stingy. With ample funding and Guardiola as coach, there was no way Messi would receive a lower salary than at Arsenal. That was simply impossible.
Most importantly, the contents of the email were far more appealing than money. At this juncture in his career, these factors were precisely what mattered most. Indeed, his old friend Cao Baming understood him best.
Consequently, Messi's preference for Manchester United subtly increased.
Meanwhile, his father had not ceased negotiations with other clubs, diligently seeking a deal that would truly impress him, though no such offer had materialized yet.
At 36 years old, Messi remained highly sought after by elite clubs across the top five leagues. Each offer was more lucrative than the last, with clubs eager for him to be their core star upon arrival.
In fact, the owners and coaches of these prestigious clubs simultaneously harbored a seemingly unlikely possibility: that Messi might choose to move to a temple within a period after joining. Perhaps his age would advance to the point where he could no longer rely on speed to beat an opponent, and he would then reconsider his options.
Imagine the value of acquiring a Messi in his prime at the current price, combined with his experience and on-field intelligence. What a bargain that would be!
Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, and a host of other top clubs extended invitations to Messi.
However, Barcelona was conspicuously absent from this list. Even with a change of coach, they had no face left to invite Messi back, given who had orchestrated his departure.
In reality, if Barcelona had extended an offer, Messi, given his character, might have even accepted.
Cao Baming harbored no such concerns, confident that Messi's ultimate choice would be his team.
At this point, the fans were completely unaware of the situation. Their understanding was still limited to the possibility of Messi and Cao Baming leaving Arsenal. This information gap left fans engaged in fervent and heated discussions.
Yet, in reality, both individuals had quietly made their final decisions at this very moment.
The true bombshells were still yet to come. While the preceding developments were already difficult to anticipate, everything was only just beginning. Cao Baming's deeply unsettling plan had only just entered its execution phase.
Days passed. While Cao Baming was on vacation, Mike was largely occupied with club-related matters, shouldering the bulk of the miscellaneous and trivial tasks himself, without even hiring much additional help.
Meanwhile, the information available to the fans remained unchanged. However, the club officially confirmed the outcome: an official statement, leaving everyone speechless, informed everyone that Cao Baming and Messi would depart Arsenal completely that summer.
Their destination was not specified, nor did Messi or Cao Baming's social media or public statements offer any clarification.
Everyone could only speculate.
Simultaneously, the original Arsenal fans could hardly concern themselves with anything else, as the club's crisis was imminent. The departure of the two felt like a stone suddenly falling and striking them hard in the heart.
At this time, some Arsenal fans were Cao Baming's fans, some were Messi's fans, and some were the club's long-standing loyal supporters.
They were all in a state of wavering, unsure whether to continue their support. Although they knew with certainty that the team's performance next season would be significantly worse than it was now.
However, there was another group of people who were inherently fans of both Cao Baming and Messi. With the two confirmed to be leaving the club, the choice between them and Arsenal was not difficult.
Naturally, they chose the individuals!
Following the release of this news, a large number of fans would shift their allegiance from Arsenal to an unknown destination, as they were still unaware of their idols' future plans.
The ultimate choice of Cao Baming and Messi became the biggest focal point in the entire football world, with everyone watching closely. However, the media remained uncertain and unable to confirm any information.
But this did not prevent rumors from flying. It was reported in public discourse that Messi was in private talks with Real Madrid, and that Cao Baming had essentially reached an agreement with Manchester City, but these were merely the tip of the iceberg.
In fact, all sorts of news emerged regarding the future affiliations of these two individuals with their next clubs.