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Lionel Messi to Manchester City: Barca star set to stay at No Camp and only using City as leverage in new contract negotiations

Argentina captain has waited patiently for Barca team-mates and Real Madrid rivals to sign new deals so he can secure bumper pay-rise

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LIONEL MESSI will not join Manchester City.

He has waited for all his Barcelona pals (Andres Iniesta, Neymar, soon Luis Suarez and Javier Mascherano) to sign new deals.

Messi's Barcelona team-mates have already signed new deals
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Messi's Barcelona team-mates have already signed new dealsCredit: Getty Images
Pep Guardiola would be interested in bringing Messi to the Etihad, but the Argentina is likely to use Man City as leverage
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Pep Guardiola would be interested in bringing Messi to the Etihad, but the Argentina is likely to use Man City as leverageCredit: AP:Associated Press

And for Cristiano Ronaldo to agree his latest £45million-a-year Real Madrid contract. Now, he knows the benchmark.

Soon his dad will sit down with Barcelona to agree an extension that will see him earn upwards of £55m a year in the biggest contract in football history.

While Ron and Bale sign six-year deals at Real, Messi has always preferred four years.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale have both signed six-year deals at Real Madrid
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Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale have both signed six-year deals at Real MadridCredit: Getty Images
But Messi only tends to agree four-year contracts at the Nou Camp
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But Messi only tends to agree four-year contracts at the Nou CampCredit: EPA

It means every two years Barca have to give him a whopping pay rise.

City want him. Desperately. But he will use them to make sure Barcelona pay top Euro to keep him. And they will.

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