If an earlier comment made by Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, is anything to go by, the club will not be the next destination of Lionel Messi, who is leaving Barcelona after 20 years.
The Messi-to-Manchester City move had been making rounds since February as most analysts felt that the player may want a reunion with his former coach, Pep Guardiola.
But then Guardiola wished Messi will never leave Barcelona and finish his career at Camp Nou.
Guardiola’s words: “He is a player from Barcelona and he will stay there, that’s my wish for him to stay there.”
According to ESPN in February, the Manchester City manager dismissed the possibility of Messi moving to his club or anywhere else.
“I’m not going to talk about players playing for other clubs. I think he will finish his career there, that’s my wish.”
The media started spreading the Messi to City rumours at the turn of the year.
Messi asked Barcelona to let him leave the club on a free transfer this summer earlier this week.
As per The Guardian, the Manchester City “believe they have a chance” of signing the 33-year-old if he’s available on free or on a relatively small fee. The thing is that the Catalans continue to insist on the Argentine’s €700m buy-out clause to be paid in full.
