Sensational reports in Spain suggest that Chelsea put together a huge £118 million bid for Barcelona’s stunning star Lionel Messi during the summer window, as reported by the Daily Star.

The big money move would have featured the largest fee ever paid in the history of the professional game if the move had gone through, larger than Real Madrid’s purchase of either Cristiano Ronaldo or Gareth Bale, with the club reported to have paid £80 million and £86 million for the players respectively, although Real deny paying that much for the Welsh international.

Spanish television channel TV3 suggest that Jose Mourinho tried to sign the Argentinian wizard in the summer, offering a big money fee to bring him to Stamford Bridge.

Messi’s relationship with Barca supposedly degraded last season, after the star suffered a series of injuries.

Fans took to criticising him, and Mourinho clearly thought that this was the best ever opportunity to get Messi to leave the club he has spent his entire career with.