Manchester City have firmly denied claims they made a failed bid to sign Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.

The Argentine has been linked with City several times since former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola was appointed manager in 2016.

City chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak was quoted in Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo as saying he once made a lucrative offer for Messi, which would reportedly have paid the five-time Ballon d’Or winner more than £1 million (Dhs 4.8 million) per week.

But City responded by saying there was no truth to the report.

“We deny the veracity of these quotes,” a City spokesman said.

Messi signed a new contract at the Camp Nou in November 2017 and is committed to the Blaugrana until the summer of 2021, when he will turn 34.