As the world studies where Lionel Messi will play next campaign, Manchester City could already have an inside track.
Messi reportedly spoke with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on the phone last week to discuss a possible move to the Premier League club this summer, according to Rodrigo Faez and Moises Llorens of ESPN.
The news comes after the forward reportedly told Barcelona he wanted to leave, which the club confirmed, per Llorens and Sam Marsden of ESPN.
Messi had been with Barcelona since he was a teenager, making his first senior appearance in 2004. He has led the team to four Champions League titles, winning the Ballon d'Or six times as the best player in the world.
Guardiola was Barcelona's manager from 2008-12, leading the club to two Champions League titles during that stretch.
The coach later led Bayern Munich before joining Manchester City in 2016, leading the squad to Premier League titles in 2017-18 and 2018-19. The club concluded second in the table to Liverpool in 2019-20, but still had the top scoring attack at 102 goals scored.
Adding Messi to a group that already has Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne could make this the most exciting offense in the world.
Even at 33 years old, Messi remains one of the top players in the sport, finishing the 2019-20 campaign with 25 goals and 21 assists in La Liga.
Many clubs across Europe will attempt to bring in the superstar, but the link to Guardiola could be enough to put Manchester City over the top.
