MUMBAI: Barcelona-based newspaper Mundo Deportivo has contradicted claims by French broadcaster Canal Plus and Qatar owned beIN SPORTS that Manchester City were plotting a €300 million bid for Barcelona FC superstar Lionel Messi.
Although Messi agreed terms on a new contract earlier in the summer with the Spanish giants, the deal remains unsigned.
Barca have already lost Neymar to a hostile €225 million bid from Paris Saint-Germain and would be gutted if Messi forced his own exit.
If a transfer out does happen, it will make the Argentina international the world’s most expensive signing - trumping Neymar’s record that was only set earlier this summer.
beIN Sport reported Saturday that UAE's Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, owner of Manchester City, had started preparations for a bid for Messi on Friday.
However, Mundo Deportivo claimed that was wrong information coming from the broadcaster.
City have already spent €240 million+ on new players and could viably afford to sign Messi - although they would have to pass Financial Fair Play regulations to avoid a fine or even a European ban.
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