Lionel Messi’s Attempt to Join Manchester City

Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola back when the pair were at Barcelona together

Lionel Messi’s Move When Things Weren’t Going Well

Lionel Messi wanted to play for Manchester City back in 2020. The details of this story come from a book called “God Save Pep” by Marti Perarnau.

Lionel Messi’s Talks to Guardiola

Messi, dissatisfied in Spain at the time, reached out to Guardiola through his friend Sergio Aguero. In a meeting at Guardiola’s home in Barcelona, Messi, who was 33 years old, expressed his desire to move to Manchester City despite concerns about challenging training sessions at his age.

“I will train hard, I’m not worried. I will put up with everything you do,” Messi reportedly assured Guardiola. Although it proved not enough to convince the Spaniard over a reunion. Guardiola apparently replied: “Leo, we have grown older. Maybe we can’t stand each other anymore.”

City Decides on Grealish and Kane

Despite Messi’s plea, Manchester City opted not to pursue the Argentine star. Instead, they focused on securing Jack Grealish and Harry Kane after the European Championships as noted by The Athletic back in 2021.

Lionel Messi’s Path to PSG and More

In the wake of unsuccessful negotiations with Manchester City, Lionel Messi chose to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), spending two seasons with the French club. The book also sheds light on a meeting between Messi and Guardiola a year before Messi’s Barcelona contract ended. Discussions included the possibility of Messi making a move to the Premier League

Lionel Messi’s Journey Ends Differently

While the attempt to join Guardiola at Manchester City didn’t materialize, the book provides a detailed account of Lionel Messi’s journey, leading him to PSG and later to Inter Miami in July. It unravels the complexities of decision-making and negotiations that shape the paths of football legends.

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