Barcelona sporting director gives Lionel Messi transfer update amid Man City interest

straight to your inbox Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has taken aim at Manchester City by suggesting that only teams who don't 'respect Financial Fair Play' would be able to sign Barcelona icon Lionel Messi. Messi sent the football world into meltdown for a whirlwind two-week period after he informed Barcelona that he wanted to walk away from the club for nothing following the conclusion of the season.

straight to your inboxHere are the latest Manchester City evening headlines for Thursday, September 3. Lionel Messi could still remain at Barcelona according to his father.

straight to your inboxLiverpool defender Andy Robertson has admitted he is one of the few who do not want to see Lionel Messi in the Premier League.After Messi communicated his desire to leave Barcelona this summer, the eyes of the footballing world are on the Argentine great's next destination.Manchester City are thought to be leading the race to secure the 33-year-old's signature should he follow through on his decision to leave the Camp Nou.

straight to your inbox Sergio Ramos has urged Lionel Messi to stay at Barcelona for the sake of Spanish football. The six-time Ballon d'Or winner has asked to leave the La Liga giants this summer.Manchester City are the bookmakers' favourites to sign Messi, although it remains unclear what fee any potential suitors would have to pay for the Argentine superstar.

straight to your inboxLionel Messi could remain at Barcelona for another season, his father has admitted, after holding talks with the club to attempt to resolve his contract dispute. Jorge Messi, who is his son's agent, yesterday told reporters that it would be 'difficult' for Lionel to remain at Barcelona, saying he had not spoken to Manchester City or Pep Guardiola about a potential move.

Lionel Messi in the Premier League. The Argentina forward has told Barcelona he wants to leave the club this summer and is yet to report for pre-season.Messi is trying to leave the Nou Camp for free although La Liga have supported Barcelona's case that any departure would have to be triggered by paying his £630million release clause.Manchester City are the favourites amongst most bookmakers to sign Messi and reunite with Pep Guardiola.

straight to your inbox Eric Garcia said, with a smile, that Manchester City players have not discussed the prospect of Lionel Messi completing a sensational move to the Premier League side but that he would be a welcome addition to any team.

straight to your inboxThe president of Argentina, Alberto Fernandez, has urged Lionel Messi to reject a potential move to Manchester City in favour of joining Newell's Old Boys.Messi failed to report for coronavirus testing at Barcelona's training complex yesterday as he continues his battle to leave the club.The Argentine’s decision not to attend means he will be unable to participate in Ronald Koeman's first training session today.Messi has told the Barcelona hierarchy last week that he wants

straight to your inbox Barcelona presidential candidate Toni Freixa expects Lionel Messi to join Manchester City in a move that he thinks could be liberating for the Catalan club. Messi is currently involved in a standoff with the club he has played at for his entire career, with the 33-year-old having failed to show up for pre-season as he attempts to leave the Nou Camp.

straight to your inboxHere are the Manchester City morning headlines for Sunday, August 30. Barcelona will not accept any Manchester City players in exchange for Lionel Messi, according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo .

straight to your inbox Manchester City were given another boost in their pursuit of Lionel Messi after the forward failed to show at the Barcelona training ground for tests ahead of pre-season. Ronald Koeman and the rest of the squad were pictured arriving at the complex on Sunday morning but there was no sign of Messi at his allotted time or for an hour afterwards as the fallout between player and club continues.

Manchester City are the most likely Premier League destination for Messi, who played under Pep Guardiola for four years between 2008 and 2012, with a deal to take him to Manchester United implausible. Neville still doubts Messi will actually leave Barcelona this summer but thinks a transfer to City will be the outcome if he decides to move to England.

straight to your inboxHere are your Manchester City headlines for the evening of Saturday August 29.Next 48 hours crucial for Messi’s futureThe next 48 hours could help to decide Lionel Messi’s future, reports the MEN’s Stuart Brennan.Having dropped a bombshell on Barcelona by handing in a transfer request earlier this week, Messi has now asked for an urgent meeting with the club hierarchy.

straight to your inboxSome Manchester City fans believe Lionel Messi is definitely on his way to the Etihad this summer after Pep Guardiola was spotted in Barcelona on Friday.News broke earlier this week that Messi wants to call time on his Barcelona career following their disappointing end to the season, which saw them lose out to Real Madrid in the La Liga title race and also lose 8-2 to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.City are one of the few clubs that could realistically

straight to your inbox A football agent who helped to take Lionel Messi to Barcelona claims it is “90 per cent” sure that the player will stay at the Nou Camp. Manchester City are awaiting the outcome of the player's attempts to extricate himself from the club, which will hit a crucial phase in the next 48 hours.

straight to your inbox Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp doubts that Lionel Messi will play in the Premier League amid the possibility of him moving to Manchester City. Messi told Barcelona he wants to leave the club earlier this week and City are the favourites to land him if he does follow through with his desire to quit the Nou Camp.

straight to your inbox The initial shock of Lionel Messi ’s transfer request has subsided, and now for the grind. Manchester City were the first club on everyone’s lips the moment it became clear that the Barcelona star was not bluffing – as he has in the past – and really seems to have reached the end of his tether with the stagnation at the Nou Camp.

straight to your inbox Manchester City will NOT include Gabriel Jesus, Bernardo Silva or Riyad Mahrez in any deal to bring in Lionel Messi. The Blues could be facing a club record fee to bring in the Barcelona star, and that has led to speculation that they will proffer players as part of a package to land the 33-year-old.