Barcelona captain and playmaker Lionel Messi rejected a massive triple wage increase to dump dump Nou Camp for the Etihad Stadium.
According to a UK Sun report citing Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo, Manchester City's chief Khaldoon al Mubarak, disclosed that he handed the task to get the Argentine star at all cost to manager Pep Guardiola.
But the five-time world's best player snubbed the advances by City to sign an extension at the catalan outfit.
The Man City' chief Khaldoon al Mubarak also admitted the EPL champs did all they could, but still failed to convince the 31-year-old Argentine make the switch despite tempting offers on the table.
During the interview Khaldoon al Mubarak was asked to reveal one player on he could not sign for City.
"We asked Guardiola to talk to him and we offered him triple the salary he had in Barcelona, but he never accepted," noted Mubarak.
The Premier League leaders distanced themselves from Mundo Deportivo.claims about their chairman comments.
However, on November 25, 2017, the Argentine penned an extension with a 700 million euros release clause that will not expire until 2021.
Interestingly, moments after the Argentine superstar signed the extension, it was reported that his former boss at Barcelona Pep Guardiola was not determined that he needed the forward.
Responding after Messi signed the new deal, Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said: "I think we will still renew it because Messi reinvents himself every year. He is already linked forever with Barça," he submitted.
At the count, the Argentine Messi is now Barcelona's third most capped player, after 700 games and still counting.
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