Manchester City reportedly believe they are in 'pole position' to sign Lionel Messi if he decides to leave FC Barcelona.
There were reports in Spain last month claiming has stopped contracts with the club due to on-going issues and could leave next year.
READ: Barca star 'offers' to quit after loss
With the everything happening at the Camp Nou on and off the pitch, Messi's future has become unclear and City are reportedly ready to pounce.
The Mirror claim the Citizens are ready to pay whatever amount to secure the Argentine if he does decide to leave, which could see a reunion between Pep Guardiola and Messi.
The Argentine reportedly has £635million buy-out clause and while no club will pay that amount, the Mirror claim Barcelona needs funds to sign new players and may be forced to sell their talisman.
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Former Manchester United Rio Ferdinand suggest Messi should leave after the defeat to Bayern Munich.
"What is Messi thinking going home tonight?," he said on BT Sport. Does he want to spend his time left in that shirt, given the performances and the way the squad is looking at the moment in comparison to other teams around Europe?
"Has he got the time to sit there and wait?
"Football is a game that comes and goes very quickly in your life, so these next two years where he's still going to have the power to influence games the way he does, is he going to want to be doing that but not competing for the big titles?"