Man City dealt a potential blow in Lionel Messi transfer pursuit

Manchester City may reportedly have been dealt a potential blow in their rumoured transfer pursuit of Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi, following reports Paris Saint-Germain have already made an eye-watering contract offer to the star.

With the legendary forward out of contract at Barcelona at the end of the season, the Cityzens have been strongly linked with a potential move for him on a free transfer.

The Six-time Ballon d’Or winner is now free to talk to clubs outside Spain about a summer move, with Man City reportedly the most likely destination for the Argentine.

But acording to the Daily Star French giants PSG have made the first move, with publication claiming the Ligue 1 champions have offered Messi a staggering £40m signing-on fee as well as a £800,000-a-week basic salary.

The reports adds that City are unable to compete with the finances behind the offer but remain quietly confident they may still be able to convince Messi to choose them due to the Guardiola connection.

Their links with American side New York City may also be a bonus, with Messi known to be keen to finish his career in the MLS. It remains to be seen if or when Man City approach the Barcelona superstar, but it will certainly be intriguing to see how things play out.

Sadly, this means we may never see Messi at the Etihad after all if he decides to go to PSG, which is a blow for City. The 33-year-old forward is probably the greatest footballer of all time, and it would have been a joy to see him at the Etihad before the end of his career.