The shot heard around the world.

"But to answer your question, no, I don't think he'd have any problem working with Mourinho."

That was a statement that Manchester United star Angel Di Maria stated with respect to whether Lionel Messi could be headed to Chelsea in the offseason.

Here's some context, in case you missed it.

Messi was reportedly unhappy at Barcelona as late as the end of 2014. Apparently, he wanted out and started following Chelsea's Instagram account. To add fuel to the fire, reports surfaced that he had considered a move as early as last summer after Barcelona sunk in all competitions during the 2013-14 season.

Few would feel the same about Messi's stance with his club. The team is on fire and arguably the best team in the world on current form. He has tremendous synergy with Neymar and Luis Suarez and Barcelona is still a contender for a treble, something that Real Madrid, the team's biggest rivals, cannot claim whatsoever.

So why would Messi want to leave now in the midst of this surge?

The real question is whether this surge is sustainable or a blip. Barcelona was playing extraordinary soccer for the first 10 games of the season before going on a tailspin to end the year. Then suddenly, the calendar turned to 2015 and it is as if Barcelona found the fountain of youth. Now the question is whether the clock will strike 12 at some point in the coming weeks and if the team will remain the stalwart hero of now or if it will turn into the pumpkin of November through December. And if the team does and sustains poor form, then there is a likelihood that the team falters without being able to make any transfers until next January to retool or improve in the face of old age and overall squad imbalance.

And that is what will ultimately decide Messi's fate.

Now Chelsea, you say? Or, more accurately, as the rumor mills have started claiming. Would Messi work with the Blues?

For starters, Chelsea is as complete a team as there can be at this given point. With Cesc Fabregas manning the midfield and the likes of Eden Hazard and Diego Costa leading the offense, it is really hard to question whether the Blues need anymore help offensively. But who in their right minds would turn down the prospect of putting Messi in the middle of the offense (or even on the wing with his current form)? No one would, and there is no way that Jose Mourinho, the man leading Chelsea would turn down the opportunity to coach arguably the most irresistible offensive force in the game.

So, then, who has to go?

Juan Cuadrado was just brought this during this past transfer window to add another dimension to the team's offense. He is likely to remain a staple of the team, at least for the next year or so. So a Messi transfer would not impact his position.

The real man out is Brazilian midfielder Oscar. As it currently stands, Oscar is the man in the whole behind the forward and between the wingers. He plays the position Messi is best at and can dominate most from.

Oscar is in the midst of a career year for Chelsea. He has six goals and seven assists in 20 games; he had eight goals and two assists in 33 games a year ago. He's connecting on more passes per game and is accomplishing around the same number of key passes as he was a year ago. Defensively, he is making more interceptions per game and more clearances as well. At age 23, his prime is still a couple of years away and he could become the team's star in a few years.

But he is likely not going to score 50 goals in a year. Maybe he peaks at 20 in his best years. Messi can put close to 40 or 50 and he is still only 27. Even if his production dips, it is realistic to expect that he could still score between 25 and 30 a year in his 30s.

Someone has to be sold to budget a move for Messi, according to FIFA Fair Play, and Oscar could certainly bring in a hefty fee, especially after the season he is having.

Or maybe the man to go is Eden Hazard. His name has been swirling in the mills for months and he is arguably the most valuable offensive player the team has.

He has nine goals and five assists in 24 games, is an elite dribbler, averages two key passes per game and has seen his defensive game improve this year. He is 24 and seen by many as a player in Messi's vein that would certainly appeal to teams looking for a strong goal scorer.

But none of this matters if Barcelona is unwilling to make a deal and sell its talisman. The next few months will be crucial to the team's success but also its ability to retain its top star.

Meanwhile, everyone can continue dreaming out loud.