Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi had a telephone conversation last week to discuss the possibility of the Barcelona striker joining Manchester City this summer, according to ESPN sources.
Messi shocked Barca and the football world on Tuesday when he announced to the club board that he intends to leave this summer, despite having an agreement with the club to stay until the summer of 2021.
Barcelona has responded by asking him to stay at the club he joined as a teenager 20 years ago.
ESPN reported on Monday that City are doing the calculations to find out if it is able to buy Messi without violating UEFA financial honesty law.
In the past transfer window, City have assessed the transfer of Messi as impossible, but the optimism of the English giant has increased a lot this summer, especially after the conversation that Guardiola had with Messi last week.
Pep and Leo spent four years together at Barca, from 2008 to 2012.
ESPN says Guardiola has explained to Messi the project that awaits him in England if he decides to join City.
