Man city could sign Messi says new sporting Directore

Barcelona's new international sporting director admits the financial firepower of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain could one day lure Lionel Messi away from the Camp Nou. There has been speculation over Messi's future since the turn of the year although the Argentina forward has been in record-breaking form for the Blaugrana. Messi scored his 24th La Liga hat-trick during the Catalans' 6-1 mauling of Rayo Vallecano on Sunday to send them top of the table. The 27-year-old, who is Barca's all-time top scorer, is tied to the club until June 2019 and has a £205 million release clause in his contract. And although Ariedo Braida admits that it would be "nearly impossible" to pry the little magician away from the club, he feels big-spending City and PSG are two clubs that might be capable of pulling off a mega-deal for the player. He told Spanish TV channel Esport3: "I believe it's very difficult that Messi will leave Barca but at times in football strange things happen. "Now with these clubs that have so much money like (Manchester) City, certain amounts don't seem to have a value. "In football things happen that appear impossible but I hope he will remain. "Sometimes strange things happen. He is a phenomenon, an extra-terrestrial comparable to Maradona and Pele." Messi claimed earlier this year that he was happy at Barca and quashed speculation that he would leave the club this summer. He has so far enjoyed an outstanding campaign, scoring 30 goals and setting up 14 more in 26 league appearances.