Lionel Messi was once the subject of an ambitious €250 million transfer bid from Real Madrid - but he told them to not "waste their time."
The Barcelona legend has been a thorn in the side of 'Los Blancos' since his debut back in 2004.
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Madrid were interested in sealing his signature back in 2013 and Di Marzio's Grand Hotel Calciomercato book per A Bola claims they were aiming to pay Messi €450,000-a-week.
However, Messi had no intentions of joining and he told the club: "I will not, nor waste any time."
An eight-year contract was allegedly prepared and Messi's father, Jorge, would have netted €16 million.
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Messi joining Madrid at that time would have seen him lineup alongside bitter rival Cristiano Ronaldo to form a devastating partnership.
The 33-year-old was linked with a sensational move away from Barcelona this summer, after becoming disillusioned with their direction.
Manchester City were said to be interested in his services, but a €700 million release clause ensured he would remain at the Camp Nou.
Former teammate Carles Puyol had wished Messi well when he initially announced he wanted to leave, but has backed the Argentine to lead his side to glory this year.
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Puyol told reporters: "Like any fan, I did not want Messi to leave, but this is football.
"In the end, he decided to stay. He recently said that he is motivated, that he wants to win and we hope he can continue with us for many years.
"He is a huge asset for La Liga, he is one of the best in the world."
City COO Omar Berrada has suggested that the Premier League outfit could make a move for Messi next summer should he not sign a new deal with the Catalan giants.
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"He's an amazing talent, he's somebody that can make a significant impact at any club in the world on and off the pitch immediately," he told the Manchester Evening News.
"He's the best player in the world, he's the best player of his generation. I think any club in the world would like to explore the possibility of him joining their team.
"The fact that it was commented that he wanted to come to play for City just shows you how far the team has come over the last [few] years where the best talent of his generation and potentially saying he wants to come and play for us.
"It's hard to guess what could happen. If you think back to those two weeks where everything played out at Barcelona, it's almost impossible to guess what will happen next summer."
Featured Image Credit: PA ImagesTopics: Football News, Football, Barcelona, Lionel Messi, Real Madrid, La Liga