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Messi & 'Barcelona': Looking Back at Argentinian Superstar's Career With Spanish Club

Sputnik

According to rumours, Messi could move to England's Manchester City, which is managed by his former coach, Pep Guardiola. 

Sport.es reported on Sunday that Manchester City was ready to offer Messi a five-year €500 million contract.

Last week, Barcelona confirmed that its all-time top-scorer had informed the team of his intention to leave the La Liga club. Messi has a contract with the Catalan club until 2021, with a clause to leave Barcelona at the end of the 2019-20 season, which expired on 31 July.

Lionel Messi debuted for Barcelona in 2004, playing for the Spanish club ever since. Together with Barca, the Argentinian won the La Liga 10 times and the Copa del Rey six times. He is also a four-time UEFA Champions League winner.

*Check out Sputnik's gallery to see the highlights of Messi's outstanding career with Barca.  

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Barcelona's Lionel Messi after the match, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) August 8, 2020
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Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates a goal during a match with Russia's Spartak at the 2012-2013 UEFA championship
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FC Barcelona v Napoli - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - August 8, 2020 Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores their third goal which was later disallowed after VAR review, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
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Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi raises La Liga trophy as he celebrates becoming La Liga champions after winning the Spanish League football match between FC Barcelona and Levante UD at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona.
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A woman takes a selfie with a mural of Lionel Messi dressed as Che Guevara as FC Barcelona's squad arrive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) test, ahead of the resumption of training on August 31, in Barcelona, Spain August 30, 2020.
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Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (2L) argues with Real Madrid's Spanish defender Sergio Ramos during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on March 2, 2019.
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Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi gestures in pain during the UEFA Champions League round of 16, second leg football match between FC Barcelona and Olympique Lyonnais at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on March 13, 2019.
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A man carries a painting representing Spanish Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez (L), Barcelona's Brazilian forward Neymar and Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (R) painted by Spanish cartoonist Vizcarra to the presentation of the 12th edition of the book entitled "Relats solidaris de l'esport" (Stories of solidarity in sport) in Barcelona on February 17, 2017.
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Barcelona's Lionel Messi, center, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Granada at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020.
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Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring a hat trick. 18 August 2018
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Barcelona's Lionel Messi gestures during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Cordoba and FC Barcelona at El Arcangel stadium in Cordoba, Spain, Saturday May 2, 2015.
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This combination of pictures created on December 14, 2016 in Paris shows then five-year-old Afghan boy and Lionel Messi fan Murtaza Ahmadi posing with his plastic bag jersey in Jaghori district of Ghazni province in a photograph provided by the boy's family and taken on January 24, 2016 (L), and FC Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi talking to Murtaza Ahmadi on the pitch before the start of a friendly football match against Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli FC on December 13, 2016 in the Qatari capital Doha.
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Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi reacts during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Leganes at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on April 7, 2018.
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Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi (R) receives the Liga Best Month Player award from Barcelona's former player Carles Pujol (L) before the Spanish league football match FC Barcelona against Deportivo Alaves at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on December 21, 2019.
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FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi from Argentina, front celebrates with his teammates after the final Copa del Rey soccer match against Athletic Bilbao at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Spain, Friday, May 25, 2012.
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