RUMORS: Man City to launch $247 million Messi bid

Manchester City are prepared to pay a world-record fee to sign Lionel Messi from Barcelona, according to the Daily Mirror.

City is prepared to pay a fee over 100 million pounds ($123M)  to land the Argentina international, who has won five Ballons d'Or, and is also willing to offer him a staggering wage packet worth £500,000-per-week.

Messi has a £215m buy-out clause in his contract, but his deal expires in 2018 and Barca will run the risk of losing one of the world's best players for free if it does not sell him next summer.