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Former Manchester City winger Trevor Sinclair believes that Lionel Messi could be on his way to the Etihad after Pep Guardiola signed a new deal to extend his spell at the club.
The former Barcelona manager was about to enter the final months of his existing four-year deal with the Mancunians, but has extended his contract, which will now run until 2023.
This will see Guardiola spend seven years as City manager, and attention has ostensibly turned to the potential signings that he could make in the coming months.
One name that has continually been linked with Manchester City is that of Lionel Messi. While previous rumours were unfounded, last summer saw the most credible links, in light of his travails at Barcelona.
The six-time Ballon d'Or winner submitted an official transfer request stating his desire to leave the Catalan giants, amidst a feeling of frustration with the way the club was being run.
Expectedly, this sent shockwaves around the world, and clubs instantly became linked with Lionel Messi, as he would undoubtedly strengthen any side on the planet.
While names like Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan were listed as potential destinations, Manchester City emerged as favorites to land Lionel Messi, given his connection with manager Pep Guardiola.
The Etihad outfit have long courted Lionel Messi, and their allure has been boosted in recent years by the presence of several familiar faces both on the touchline and at boardroom level.
Sinclair gives his opinion on Lionel Messi moving to Barcelona
Despite backtracking on his initial stand to leave Barcelona, it is widely believed that Lionel Messi is going to leave Camp Nou at the expiration of his current contract next May.
The club's fortunes have hardly improved on the field and Lionel Messi himself came out to state that he was 'tired of being the cause of every problem at Barcelona,' suggesting that his heart could be set on a move.
The 33-year-old played some of his best football under Pep Guardiola and Sinclair believes the contract extension by the Catalan could be the catalyst to facilitate Messi's move to City.
Speaking about the potential deal, Sinclair said:
“For me, you look at what has gone on with him signing a new two-year contract, there are rumours Kevin De Bruyne is going to sign a new contract… I think Messi is inevitable."
“I can’t see anything other than that. And I look at the club I supported, ‘little old Manchester City’, signing the best player in the world and possibly winning the Champions League…”
“I can’t see it any other way. He is too young to go back to Argentina, and I don’t think there is any other club where they have the right manager in place where Messi would go in and feel comfortable under that manager. I feel it is inevitable it is going to happen… and I can’t wait for it to happen!”
Manchester City will be back in action when they travel to take on Tottenham, while Barcelona will square off against Atletico Madrid in LaLiga.
