Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has dismissed Spanish media reports that he tried to sign Lionel Messi from Barcelona last year in a world record deal.
The El Mundo newspaper had reported the Argentine forward was offered a five-year €250 million net ($285.55m) deal, with City also prepared to pay a €250m release clause.
It said City's chief executive Ferran Soriano, a former Barcelona general manager, and Messi's father and agent Jorge discussed a deal at the height of a political crisis in Catalonia over a campaign for independence from Spain.
Guardiola, a former Barcelona player and manager, said on Friday he had not tried to sign Messi at any of the clubs he had managed after leaving Spain.