MANCHESTER CITY have told Barcelona: We will pay £100million to sign Lionel Messi.
SunSport understands negotiations between executives of both clubs were held at the end of last month to determine if a world record transfer is possible.
City did not make a formal bid for the five-time World Player of the Year.
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But they made it clear they were not afraid of topping the global high of £89m that Manchester United paid Juventus for Paul Pogba last summer.
Barca have so far refused to name a price or even confirm they will sell Messi, who will turn 30 in June.
However, their willingness to listen to City has encouraged the Etihad hierarchy and the conversation was described as ‘positive’ by a source.
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City boss Pep Guardiola is under increasing scrutiny over the club’s poor form this term.
The pre-season title favourites now sit TEN points behind leaders Chelsea - and crucially, outside the Premier League's top four.
They have lost two of their last three league games, including Sunday's 4-0 drubbing at Everton.
But Etihad chiefs retain total faith the former Barca coach can turn them into Euro giants.
They also believe the personal relationship Guardiola forged with Messi at the Nou Camp can seal any move.
Messi has seen the Catalan club hand huge new deals to Luis Suarez and Neymar.
But Barca have conceded they cannot afford the kind of contract the Argentine wizard expects.
Nou Camp CEO Oscar Grau admitted: “We have to be very strict with the budgets, we can’t go crazy.
“It is a situation we need we need to look at with cool heads and common sense."
SunSport revealed last summer that City had told the player’s advisors they were willing to give him £800,000 a week.
And Messi’s camp claim their man — who has been at Barca since he was 13 — was recently offered £850k a week to move to China.
A new deal could top the £500k-a-week Cristiano Ronaldo gets at Real Madrid.
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