Messi bid is still on for Blues

MANUEL PELLEGRINI left the door open for a Manchester City bid for Lionel Messi – IF the Barcelona superstar leaves the Nou Camp.

With the backing of Abu Dhabibased billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour, City are one of three English teams along with Manchester rivals United and league leaders Chelsea who could realistically dream of courting Messi.

The Argentinian star was widely expected to be a ‘lifer’ at Barcelona, where he has been since a schoolboy.

But reports of unrest and clashes with coach Luis Enrique have left the Messi camp reviewing all their options.

When asked about Messi (below) leaving Spain and Blues being interested, Pellegrini said: “It’s difficult to think of Barcelona without Messi. I don’t want to give my opinion because everything I say is analysed!

“We are an important team at this moment because we are one of the teams that can buy big players.

“Maybe they link Messi here because Txiki Begiristain, who worked in Barcelona, is here, but I don’t think it’s a situation inside the club that anybody has talked about.”

UEFA have clamped down on City’s spending under Financial Fair Play rules and splashing out the £150million it would cost in a transfer alone for Messi could be a major problem.

City are way behind United in terms of the commerical revenue needed to support such a deal but Pellegrini added: “I don’t really understand FFP.

“It seems some teams can buy a player for £100m and we cannot do it, or Chelsea cannot do it, or other teams cannot do it.”