Sensational reports in France suggest Manchester City could pay Lionel Messi’s €300m release clause, but Sport insists there is no truth to them.

According to Foot01 and Yahoo France, Manchester City have made Messi their “absolute priority” for the end of the transfer window and showed a willingness to pay the Barcelona superstar’s bumper exit clause.

The claim quickly began trending on Twitter in Spain, but Sport cites sources close to the English giants that “categorically denied” their interest in signing the No 10.

Furthermore, the Catalan newspaper believes the French media had picked up their information from “unconfirmed and unverified” sources on social media.

Messi agreed a new contract with Barca last month but did so before Neymar’s shock transfer to Paris Saint-Germain and has yet to physically put pen to paper.

French broadcaster Canal Plus today claimed City were plotting a £275million bid for the Barcelona superstar.

Messi is yet to sign a new contract at Barca and City were said to be eyeing up his release clause.

But the Etihad Stadium club are not preparing a late bid to sign Messi in this transfer window.

Barcelona-based newspaper Mundo Deportivo claim club officials have rubbished the reports from French broadcasters.

Culled from Football Espana