Messi could be sold to Man City, Barca chief admits

Lionel Messi could be on his way to Manchester City, according to Barcelona’s own sporting director Carles Rexach.

Messi, 27, who broke a Spanish hat-trick record for the Catalan giants yesterday, may be lured away by the big spending Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain.

Former Barcelona player Rexach, who has recently been appointed the club’s sporting director, suggested a move to the Etihad could be on the cards in an interview with Esport3.

He said: ‘As for Messi, I think it’s almost impossible he will leave but with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, who have so much money, it could happen. Sometimes strange things occur.

‘He’s a phenomenon, an extra-terrestrial who is comparable to Maradona and Pele.’

Messi scored three goals in 12 second-half minutes as a rampant Barcelona hammered Rayo Vallecano 6-1 on Sunday. It was his 32nd hat-trick in La Liga, surpassing Athletic Bilbao striker Telmo Zarra’s mark of 31.

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 27 hat-tricks during his career in Spain.