There are very few clubs that could afford Lionel Messi, even with him expressing his desire to leave Barcelona.
The Catalan club have confirmed that Messi has communicated his desire to leave the Nou Camp this summer but, with a rumoured €700m release clause in his contract, it is not as simple as him merely asking to leave.
News of Messi's desire to leave has set tongues wagging among Chelsea fans, with many urging the club to do all they can to secure the Argentinian great's signature.
Yet what about the other clubs in the Premier League that can afford the 33-year-old?
One of those clubs is Manchester City, with manager Pep Guardiola obviously having a close relationship with Messi from their time together at Barca.
So what has Guardiola said about Messi?
The Manchester Evening News have compiled a selection of quotes from Guardiola over the prospect of him going to the Etihad.
Guardiola is clear in his belief that the forward is the best player in the world due to his simplicity in doing complex things.
"The best thing about him is not what he does but how simple he makes everything look," the City manager said in an interview with L’Esportiu.
"He is not just the best player because he can dribble past three or four players, it is because he does it better than anyone in the world."
Yet, in what could be a boost to Chelsea, Guardiola also stated in February that he wants to see Messi remain at Barca.
He said: "He is a player from Barcelona and he will stay there, that’s my wish for him to stay in Barcelona. I’m not going to talk about players for other clubs.
"I think he will finish his career there, that’s my wish."
