LIONEL MESSI fuelled speculation surrounding a move to Manchester City after giving a glowing reference of manager Pep Guardiola.
SunSport recently revealed the Premier League giants are back in pole position for the Argentine ahead of a January swoop.
Lionel Messi has hailed Pep Guardiola as one of the two best he’s played forCredit: EPA
City missed out on the Barca superstar in the summer when he was forced into staying to avoid a bitter legal row.
But Messi, 33, will be out of contract in the summer and a cut-price deal could tempt the cash-stricken Catalan giants.
Guardiola signed a new contract at the Etihad last month and it only added to talk that his former Barcelona favourite could join him.
And now Messi has revealed how highly he rates the Spaniard after naming him as one of the two best manager’s he has worked under.
He makes you see things in a wonderful way, how he prepares for games, how to defend, and how to attack
Lionel Messi on Pep Guardiola
He told La Sexta: “Pep has something special.
“He makes you see things in a wonderful way, how he prepares for games, how to defend, and how to attack.
“I was lucky to train under Guardiola and Luis Enrique, the two best.
“Having them made me grow a lot physically and mentally, and also the tactical wisdom they’ve taught me.”
Both Inter Milan and City are among the long list of teams that reportedly want to sign Messi.
Yet incoming Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino has also been tipped to make a move for his Argentine compatriot.
The French champs are poised to appoint Poch within days after Thomas Tuchel’s Christmas Eve sacking.
Lionel Messi arrives home in Argentina for the holidays ahead of transfer speculation
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
