Gary Neville believes Lionel Messi will remain a Barcelona player despite the doubt surrounding his future at the Nou Camp.
The Sky Sports pundit has cited a "power struggle" in Catalunya and reckons the Argentine is looking to assert his authority.
He is known to have issues with current Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu with the club in disarray.
But Neville cannot envisage a situation where the 33-year-old leaves the club he has spent his entire career at.
"I think it’s politics and power struggle. Messi is flexing his muscles," said the pundit.
"It’s probably a bit more than that, but I think that is where it will end up in the end.
"The idea that Barcelona will lose this player and he doesn’t finish his career there seems unbelievable to me. Does he really want to leave? Maybe.
"But when push comes to shove and he’s got to meet with the president, the board and everyone else standing in his way, I think he will end up staying.
"But if he were to come to the Premier League, I think it would be to work with Pep.
"Would I want to see it? I think I would have to say yes, because the idea of watching Messi close up, something I have done over the last 10 years, really is something to behold.
"Would I want to stand in the way of every single young fan in this country having the opportunity to him at close hand when fans are back in stadiums, no I wouldn’t.
"But I just hope he doesn’t do very well for them!"
Pep Guardiola and Messi teamed up to pioneer what is seen by many as the greatest club side of all time.
Barcelona between 2008 - 2012 dominated Spanish and European football and the current City boss has waxed lyrical about the Argentine ever since leaving the Nou Camp.
