Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has said that Lionel Messi is 'not in the club's thoughts' this summer, seemingly giving Paris Saint-Germain a clear run at the free agent.
Messi's departure from Barcelona was confirmed on Thursday night, with the Catalan giants blocked from signing the attacker to a new contract due to "financial and structural obstacles".
Man City and PSG were immediately linked with a move, but the Premier League champions also announced on Thursday that Jack Grealish had arrived in a deal worth £100m.
Guardiola has admitted that the Messi news caught the Citizens by surprise, and the Spaniard has all but ruled out a move for the 34-year-old this summer.
"We spent £40m on Jack Grealish. £100m we paid and £60m we won (from transfers). And he will wear the number 10. We were convinced by Grealish and convinced Leo would stay at Barca. Right now he (Messi) is not in our thoughts," Guardiola told reporters.
"Day by day, game by game, he made something unique. All I can say is thank you so much to bring Barcelona to another level, to allow Barcelona to dominate the world for a decade with him and his mates. I wish him the best for the rest of his career."
PSG are allegedly locked in direct negotiations with Messi, who is believed to be keen on the idea of moving to Paris to play alongside his former Barcelona teammate and close friend Neymar.
Matt Law
