MANCHESTER CITY are reportedly ready to admit defeat in their pursuit of bringing Lionel Messi to the Premier League.
The Argentinian hit the headlines earlier this week when he publicly called out Barcelona’s director of football Eric Abidal.
Lionel Messi has reportedly told Man City he is staying at BarcelonaCredit: Reuters
The chief had accused Barca’s players of not putting in enough effort under Ernesto Valverde prior to his sacking.
That prompted Messi to respond on Instagram as he demanded Abidal “name names”.
City have believed for years that if Messi, 32, ever left Barcelona, his most likely destination would be the Etihad.
He had some of the best times of his career during Pep Guardiola’s four-year Nou Camp reign, twice winning the Champions League.
And City big-wigs Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain maintain a warm relationship with the player and his family – and could also afford to match his £600,000-a-week wages.
However, The Express claims Etihad chiefs have been told by the forward’s advisors he has no plans on going anywhere this summer.
But the possibility of him leaving 12 months later when his contract expires still remains an option – although Abidal is hopeful Messi will pen a new deal.
He said: “The question is for him, hopefully it continues.
“Leo said that Barca is everything for him, that he wants to stay here, from there are conditions.
“We are talking about the best player in the world and having a renewal with such a player is never easy.”
Messi has already stated he would like to return to his homeland to play for his boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys.
But after raising a family in Spain, he has reservations about a switch to South America.
He said in October: “I always say that I don’t want to leave here, I have no thoughts of moving.
“I have the dream of being able to play for Newell’s in Argentina, but I don’t know if it’s really going to happen because I have a family that is ahead of my desire.
“It’s a dream I’ve had since I was little, but I have a family, I have three children, I live in a place that has given me everything and where I am calm and can give my children a spectacular future.
“We think much more about that than my desire of playing football in Argentina. I will try to convince the family, because today we have to convince the children too.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
