Published 12:33 IST, February 18th 2021
Lionel Messi transfer latest: Man City gear up after Pep Guardiola's post-match comments
Lionel Messi transfer latest: Man City gear up for the Argentine's transfer after Pep Guardiola confirmed the need of a player of his calibre in the squad.
- SportFit
- 3 min read
Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi's future at the Camp Nou remains uncertain, to say the least. The six-time Ballon d'Or winner, who struck against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) from the spot, has been linked with a move to Manchester City. PSG cannot be ruled out from the race as well, citing the fact that he will be a free agent in June this year. But Pep Guardiola's comments suggest the player is closer to joining Man City than renewing with the Blaugrana.
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Guardiola's comments reignite Messi to Man City transfer talks
Guardiola's men hammered Tottenham Hotspur last Saturday to maintain a comfortable lead in the Premier League. Rodri bagged the opener from the spot only for Ilkay Gundogan to net a brace in the second half to seal the tie against the former Premier League title contenders.
Guardiola rifled up the Messi summer transfer rumours with his comments in the post-match interaction with the media. The Man City manager asserted he wouldn't want to get rid of any of the players from his current squad. But he did stress the importance of having a superstar among the ranks at the Etihad.
Lionel Messi transfer latest: Guardiola speaks on Argentine's importance
"We don't have players who can win the game by himself — we don't have a (Lionel) Messi, a Cristiano (Ronaldo), [Kylian] Mbappe or Neymar," stated the former Barcelona boss. "We have to do it as a team. I'll be honest, I would love to have a player who scores every single game four goals and runs like these players run, I would love it."
Guardiola's comments come at a time when Man City are already in the driving seat in the Premier League and they speak volumes, thus confirming the club's interest in Messi. The Etihad based outfit has a 10-point lead over second-placed Manchester United. Guardiola's men have bagged 56 points in 24 games and are unbeaten in the previous 23 games across all competitions.
Messi's contract expires in June, player closer to Man City than to Barcelona renewal
The defeat against PSG would again prove a deterrent in Messi agreeing to a new deal with Barcelona. The Argentina international has been averse to the board's transfer policies, following which president Josep Maria Bartomeu tendered his resignation. A new president is yet to be elected.
Although Messi has maintained that he will decide on his future course of action once the season ends, recent reports suggest otherwise. According to Encuentro con el Fútbol, the Barcelona skipper is closer to Man City than the Camp Nou at the moment, suggesting his preference for Guardiola ahead of Barcelona as well as PSG.
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Image courtesy: Man City Twitter, Leo Messi Instagram
Updated 12:33 IST, February 18th 2021