- Manchester United have made two approaches in the last three weeks
- Any move to United would probably have to wait until next season
- The deal for Lionel Messi would cost more than Gareth Bale's record fee
- Messi said to be 'frustrated and hurt' by circus surrounding legal case
Manchester United are exploring the potential of a sensational move to bring Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi to Old Trafford.Sportsmail can reveal that United have made two approaches in the last three weeks in an attempt to gauge whether a move for the Argentine might be possible.Any move is more likely to be with a view to United returning to the Champions League under Jose Mourinho in 2017-18. A deal for Messi would smash the £85.3m world record transfer that Real Madrid paid Tottenham for Gareth Bale.Messi's current deal at the Nou Camp is set to expire in 2018 and it has emerged that he will require certain assurances if he is to remain at Barcelona, where he has scored an astonishing 453 goals in 531 games. United have consistently set their sights on the world's biggest names under the stewardship of executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and have made attempts to resign Cristiano Ronaldo in recent times, while they have also pursued Bale and Neymar in the last year.