Inter Milan CEO Beppe Marotta and coach Antonio Conte have dismissed rumours linking Barcelona's Lionel Messi with a sensational move to San Siro as 'fantasy football'.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Saturday that Inter were working on a move ot bring in the Argentine attacker when his contract expires at Camp Nou next summer.
But Marotta told Italy's Sky Sport: "We are talking about fantasy football.
"He is definitely not one of our objectives and we believe that he is only interested in staying with Barcelona."
After Inter's 3-0 win at Genoa, which saw the nerazzurri move above Atalanta into second place in Serie A, Conte was also asked about the reports.
"I think Marottta has already answered," he said. "It's fantasy football.
"At this moment he is not attainable for so many reasons. I don't think there is a madman who doesn't want Messi, but these are situations far away from Inter, from what we are doing and what we are trying to do and build.
"We need to create a solid foundation. It's fantasy football, but in these situations the team [linked] is always Inter. But we like it that we are always the ones in the middle.
"I say so precisely to avoid saying that what was written is nonsense."
