Pep Denies Trying To Lure Messi, Neymar
Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has denied that he tried to sign Lionel Messi and Neymar from Barcelona to Manchester City when he made the move to the Premier League club himself.
Guardiola, who was the manager of Barcelona between 2008 and 2012 and is the club’s most decorated manager, recently signed on to manage Man City, and has thus far had a very good season with them.
However, rumours were doing the rounds that Pep wanted to bring Barcelona stars, Messi and Neymar as well as Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets to Manchester City.
The rumours even went as far as to say that former Liverpool player, Luis Suarez, was also a target for Pep.
Pep has denied these rumours, telling reporters:
“…I didn’t call Messi, nor Busquets, nor Suarez, nor Iniesta. I knew (keeper) Ter Stegen wanted to play more and I called him but he decided to stay at Barca…I hope Messi finishes his career here but perhaps one day he wants to leave…[sic] If it happens, various clubs will want to sign him,” he said.
He continued saying that if he wanted to, he has the right to call Barca players because Barcelona phone Man City players:
“…If I call a player it’s perhaps because he is not playing much at the moment. And I also have the right to call them because Barca also call City players,” he said.
