Pep Guardiola Won't Try And Sign Lionel Messi If His Contract Runs Out

In just over a month Lionel Messi will actually be able to negotiate a move away from Barcelona for the end of the season. One man who apparently won't be on the end of the phone is Pep Guardiola.

It still seems highly unlikely that Lionel Messi will leave Barcelona on a free in the summer, and it would be really weird if it did happen. But with the Argentine's contract finishing at the end of the season that is the potential reality the Catalan side are faced with.

Whilst Barcelona's president has previously claimed that a deal has been done and La Liga's own president said he'd seen paperwork that said Messi had signed there has so far been no confirmation.

_{Messi has been in brilliant form this season. Image: PA}

Of course if he were to leave the queue to sign him would be quite a long one but according to Diario Gol it wouldn't include Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

The Spanish paper says that the former Barcelona manager wouldn't want to upset his old club and their fans by signing the superstar, in case it ruined his chances of a possible return one day.

_{These two won everything together in their time at the Camp Nou. Image: PA Images.}

The report also suggests that things between the pair aren't actually that good. It says that since Guardiola left the Camp Nou he and Messi have remained 'cordial to the media' but are 'cold in person.'

Reportedly since the Manchester City manager left Spain in 2012, before rocking up to Bayern Munich a year later, the two masters of their trade have rarely actually spoken.

_{Things are going extremely well at City for Guardiola right now. Image: PA Images}

Guardiola still has his eyes set on Alexis Sanchez and could once again move for the Arsenal forward in January having failed to sign him in the summer whilst he already has Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling and Kevin de Bruyne firing on all cylinders.

Surely though the Manchester City manager wouldn't turn down the chance to sign one of the world's two outstanding players in case it ruins his chances of one day maybe getting a job?!

Topics: Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, Barcelona, Lionel Messi, Premier League, La Liga

Ryan Sidle

Ryan is a writer for SPORTbible. He covers all sport from football, formula one, cricket, rugby, tennis, athletics, mma and wrestling. He obviously hates YOUR football team and has no interest in synchronised swimming.

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