Transfer News: Manchester City close to signing Barcelona superstar, manager’s new deal

City are allegedly close to completing two significant bits of business by signing Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and secures Pep Guardiola to another contract.

Manchester City are perceived to be leading the race for six-time Ballon d’Or champ Messi after he presented a transfer demand at Barcelona prior this week.

Such a move would see Lionel Messi reunite with Pep Guardiola, under whom he won four of those six Ballons d’Or at Barca, despite the fact that Guardiola’s present contract is expected to lapse the next summer.

In any case, Ivisionsport reports that signing Lionel Messi would persuade Pep Guardiola to sign another three-year contract at the Etihad Stadium.

Barcelona remain edgy to keep their superstar but have started planning for life without him, and Manchester City are one of the main clubs in world football that could sensibly bear the cost of the talented forward.

Before delivering a transfer demand, the 33-year-old is accounted to have spoken Pep Guardiola about the chance of joining Manchester City and the probability of the boss remaining past the end of the 2020-21 season.

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Pep Guardiola has spent longer at Manchester  City than he had in any past clubs, but would allegedly extend his stay by an additional three years if Lionel Messi somehow managed to join.