Manchester City football club is in now the strongest position to sign Lionel Messi if he can navigate through his contractual situation and get out of Barcelona this summer.
According to Sky Sports News reports on Friday, August 28, both Messi and City boss Pep Guardiola want to renew their partnership at the Etihad.
Messi faces a tricky contract situation at Barcelona as he still has one year left to run on his contract but submitted a written transfer request on Monday, August 24.
According to the report, Messi wants the club to honour a clause in the contract that allows him to leave for free within 10 days of the Champions League final, which technically expired on June 10 after the original fixture was scheduled for May 30, but was delayed until August 23 due to Coronavirus.
But Barcelona has told Messi they do not agree the clause is active and the only way he can leave is if he pays the £626m (€700m) minimum fee release clause. Messi’s lawyers do not agree with Barcelona’s perspective.