PSG 'Working on' Signing Lionel Messi, Man City Says It's Not

It seems to be Paris or bust for Lionel Messi. 

Following Barcelona's bombshell announcement on Thursday that the 10-time La Liga champion won't be returning to the club that he has called home since 2000, Paris Saint-Germain has confirmed that it is in talks with Messi.

"Of course [signing Messi] is a possibility," PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino said in a press conference Friday. "The club is working on it and if there is any information we will communicate it as soon as possible."

Manchester City, supposedly PSG's main rival for six-time Ballon d'Or winner's signature, appears to have removed itself from the Messi sweepstakes. In uncanny timing Thursday, City announced the English-record signing of Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish for $139 million just moments after Barcelona's announcement.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, who won three La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies while coaching Messi at Barcelona, said Friday that the club is not considering a move for Messi while saying that the club's sights are set on Harry Kane. 

"It was a surprise for everyone, me included," Guardiola said. "The [Barcelona] president was clear on the reason why. I didn't speak with the player or president so I don't know what happened. But when you have a lot of money lost the decision has been made.

"We spent 40 million on Jack Grealish. £100 million we paid and £60 million we [earned from transfers]. ...We were convinced by Grealish and convinced Leo would stay at Barça. Right now [Messi] is not in our thoughts."

On Friday, Barcelona president Joan Laporta officially confirmed Messi's departure due to the club's dire financial situation, saying that an agreed-upon two-year contract "didn't materialize for reasons relating to La Liga" and it's salary cap restrictions. 

A move for Messi would be a massive coup for PSG, especially as it hopes to sign star forward Kylian Mbappé to a new deal. The 22-year-old is out of contract next summer, but the club has added some big names this summer (Georginio Wijnaldum, Achraf Hakimi, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Sergio Ramos) in the hopes of convincing Mbappé to stay. Just precisely how PSG can afford to fit him into its wage structure while remaining compliant with Financial Fair Play regulations remains to be seen.

Despite all previous signs pointing to Messi returning to Barcelona, he was photographed with PSG stars Neymar, Angel Di Maria, Marco Verratti and Leandro Paredes in Ibiza this week, which, with hindsight has helped fuel speculation of a move to the French capital.