PEP OPEN TO CITY SWOOP FOR MESSI

PEP GUARDIOLA has left the door open for Manchester City to move for Lionel Messi despite publicly claiming hopes the superstar ends his career at Barcelona.

After tying Guardiola down to a two-year contract extension until 2023, City will intensify their efforts to reunite him with the Barca legend by trying to sign him as a free agent next summer.

Guardiola, mindful of his lifelong affiliation with his former club, said his desire was to see Messi (above) finish his playing days at Barca, but did hint a City move for the 33-year-old icon was possible.

“Lionel Messi is a player from Barcelona,” said Guardiola. “If you ask me my opinion as a person, I have a huge gratitude for what Barcelona has done for me.

“In the academy, as a football player and after as a manager, it gave me absolutely everything.

“What I want is to finish his career there. I would love it, I would wish it. That is what I said I don’t know how many times, maybe a thousand times.

“I would like as a Barcelona fan for Leo to finish there. But he finishes this year the contract and I don’t know what’s going to happen in his mind.

“Right now he’s a Barcelona player and the transfer market will be in June and July.”