City: 'We have no chance of signing Messi'
Manchester City sporting director Ferran Soriano has said that there is "no chance" the club will sign Lionel Messi from Barcelona.
The Argentine superstar signed a new deal at Camp Nou through to 2021 back in November, which includes a mammoth €700million release clause.
Despite that commitment, speculation continues to swirl surrounding a potential reunion with Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.
During their time together at Barca, Guardiola and Messi won three successive La Liga crowns and the Champions League twice, among a host of other honours, but their relationship is unlikely to be rekindled at City.
"There is no chance of signing Messi," Soriano told reporters in Argentina. "I know him and his family well and I know they are fine in Barcelona, which is where he needs to be.
"We will make our way without him, which will be more difficult because he is the best player in the history of football. He changed everything, he is a genius."
The comments come after another interview given by Soriano in which he revealed: "We would all like to sign Messi but it isn't even worth thinking about".
Instead, the Barca forward will be concentrating on his side's Champions League second leg clash with Chelsea on Wednesday, with the tie finely poised at 1-1 following the first fixture at Stamford Bridge.