Lionel Messi has reportedly spoken to Pep Guardiola over the prospect of joining Manchester City this summer.
A popular Sao Paulo-based journalist, Marcelo Bechler of Esporte Interativo, broke the initial sensational move.
Another source however revealed that Barcelona believe that Manchester United have also started negotiations with the Messi’s agent.
Messi has spent his entire club career at Barcelona.
Since sending a fax message to Barcelona on Tuesday evening, the rumour mill has gone agog on the legend’s possible next destination.
Spanish outlet Radio Catalunya, reported that Messi has already contacted former boss Guardiola about a move to the Etihad, a speculation that has been confirmed by Marcel Bechler, who previously broke the Neymar-to-PSG transfer and was the first to report about Messi’s desire to quit Barcelona this summer.
“Messi wants to play for Manchester City. He treats the departure from Barcelona as something that hurts his soul, but this is the end of a cycle,” the journalist tweeted on Wednesday.
Aside Pep Guardiola’s side, there are Manchester United, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain who have been mentioned as potential destinations for Messi.
The Catalans don’t want to let him leave on a free transfer and continue to insist on his €700 million release clause.
