The idea of Lionel Messi in a Manchester City shirt once felt less like football gossip and more like a genuine possibility. For a brief but intense period in 2020, the football world seriously contemplated whether the greatest player of his generation might trade Barcelona for the Premier League. But how close did it really come? The football betting experts at Bet442, have looked back at this intriguing saga.
The Context: A Barcelona Breaking Point
Messi’s relationship with Barcelona reached its lowest point in the summer of 2020. The club had just suffered a humiliating 8–2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, exposing years of poor recruitment, financial mismanagement, and sporting decline. Shortly afterwards, Messi sent Barcelona a burofax formally expressing his desire to leave the club, believing a contractual clause allowed him to depart for free.
For the first time in his career, Messi publicly wanted out.
Why Manchester City Made Sense
Manchester City quickly emerged as the most logical destination. Pep Guardiola, the coach who helped shape Messi into a global phenomenon, was in charge. City had the financial power to afford his wages. The club’s playing style suited Messi perfectly, and the Premier League offered a fresh challenge without sacrificing competitiveness at the highest level.
Crucially, City were also building toward European dominance, something Messi still craved as Barcelona stagnated.
The Financial Reality Check
Despite the sporting fit, the numbers were staggering. Barcelona insisted Messi did not have the right to leave for free and valued him at around €700 million based on his release clause, a figure no club would ever pay.
Even if a reduced fee were negotiated, City would still have faced:
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A massive transfer fee
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One of the highest salaries in football history
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Image rights complications
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Financial Fair Play constraints intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic
City explored the situation seriously but never submitted a formal bid, largely because Barcelona refused to negotiate.
Messi’s Decision to Stay
Ultimately, Messi chose not to pursue legal action against Barcelona. In a tearful interview, he explained that he could not take the club he loved to court. Instead, he stayed for the 2020–21 season, enduring one final, unhappy year before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, this time as a free agent.
By then, Manchester City had moved on.
So, How Close Was It Really?
Manchester City were genuinely interested, well-informed, and strategically aligned with Messi’s camp. Conversations happened. The pathway existed. But the transfer never reached the final stages.
It was a case of serious intent meeting impossible circumstances.
The Legacy of the Almost-Transfer
In hindsight, City’s eventual rise, including winning the Champions League without Messi, has softened the sense of what might have been. For Messi, the move to PSG represented a different chapter, while City forged their own era of dominance.
Still, the question lingers. For a fleeting moment, football stood on the brink of witnessing Lionel Messi under Pep Guardiola once more, this time in sky blue.
And that alone was enough to make the world believe.