The 29-year-old’s contract with the Catalan giants expires at the end of next season but he has yet to agree a new extension.
But any attempts to sign the five-time Ballon d’Or winner look to be over after City’s chief executive Ferran Soriano admitted Messi ‘will stay at Barcelona’.
Manchester City’s Spanish chief exec Ferran Soriano has conceded defeat in signing Lionel MessiGetty Images
When asked whether Messi could be a City player, he told Chinese news agency Xinhua: “No. I don’t think so.
“I know Messi very well. He and his family are my good friends.
“At least next year, maybe he can finish that career. After that he can go to China or US, but now I think he will stay in Barcelona.”
Lionel Messi showed top skills during his days in the Barcelona Youth Academy
Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola worked together at BarcelonaAP
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Soriano worked at Barcelona for five years when Messi was at the peak of his powers.
And with former Barca boss Pep Guardiola now at helm at City, the Premier League giants believed they could offer a package that would bring Messi to England.
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