Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is in talks with Lionel Messi as the Premier League club are prepared to sign the Argentine if he leaves Barcelona this summer, report The Athletic.
It follows on from multiple reports across Spanish and Argentinean media which state that Messi intends to leave Barcelona and will attempt to activate a clause in his deal which allows him to break his contract.
Now aged 33, Messi starred under Guardiola when the latter was in charge at the Blaugrana between 2008 and 2012, with the two maintaining a personal relationship since.
The report claims that whilst City’s stance is that they will not attempt to sign the player, that will change if he becomes available as a free agent and Guardiola has already initiated the talks.
New Messi story here. Full disclosure:
City’s line is the same as ever: it’s not happening.
My info: the next few days are decisive. City are ready to sign Messi if he does leave Barca on a free.@David_Ornstein info: Messi’s already spoken to Guardiola https://t.co/yAoyxBN3GH
— Sam Lee (@SamLee) August 25, 2020
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Messi has won a record six Ballon d’Or awards during his spell at the Camp Nou, where he has spent the entirety of his professional career and firmly established himself as one of the greatest footballers ever to play the sport.
Messi has scored a scarcely believable 634 goals in 731 official appearances for Barcelona, but his time at the club now appears to be up and he is hopeful of becoming a free agent.
