‘Any time now!’ – Wakiso Giants' Messi transfer tweet surprises Ugandan fans

Ugandan Premier League (UPL) club Wakiso Giants have left their fans guessing after they discussed the possible transfer of Lionel Messi.

The Purple Sharks took to their social media pages to announce in a three worded message ‘Any time now’ and with a photo of Messi after the 33-year-old demanded to leave Barcelona by activating a clause in his contract that would allegedly allow him to leave on a free transfer.

Messi sent a fax to Barcelona communicating his intention to leave behind the club he's played at for 20 years.

Wakiso fans have also reacted to the social media statement with varying comments regarding the purported ‘transfer’.

Kasibante Dauda JLingz wrote: “Even if you break all the banks and Sacco’s in Uganda, it can’t happen even to land Sokratis Patastothoplus because kilibulamu, If you start to dream, but it’s good to dream because sometimes dreams come true.

Hamza Noah wrote: “Someone should slap me and I wake me up...this dream has now turned to be a nightmare!”

Another fan Tayebwa Peter Derick wrote: “It's like Nanboze to become a miss Uganda. Think big and dream big, Big up Wakiso giants."

Rumours of Messi's unhappiness have been swirling since Bayern Munich humiliated Barcelona 8-2 in the Champions League quarter-final earlier in August, ending a season that saw the club fail to win any trophies. 

In the aftermath of the Bayern defeat, Barcelona sacked head coach Quique Setien as well as technical manager Eric Abidal.

They subsequently hired Ronald Koeman to replace Setien, with the Dutchman expressing his desire to keep the Argentine star at Camp Nou.

Messi cut his vacation short to meet with Koeman last week, telling the Dutchman in their meeting that he no longer believed in the club's project.

Though many at Barca hoped Messi's frustration would cool with time after the Bayern defeat, his decision to leave had already been made and communicated with friends and family members.

Messi has established himself as one of football's all-time greatest players after initially making the breakthrough with Barcelona in 2004.

He has won La Liga on 10 occasions and lifted the Champions League four times - though Barca have been shut out from European club football's biggest prize since the 2014-15 season.

On an individual level, Messi has won the Ballon d'Or a record six times, including a run of four straight wins between 2009 and 2012 as well as the most recent award in 2019.