Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta admits Lionel Messi came close to moving to Inter Milan.

Laporta has revealed that in 2006 Inter made a move to sign Messi.

“It was 2006 when Inter made an offer," Laporta explains in an interview with The Guardian. “They were prepared to pay the €150m buyout clause, which is why we [later] raised it to €250m, but I always felt reassured by my relationship with his dad, Jorge."

Laporta adds: “I told him: 'They'll have to pay the clause because I won't sell. He'll be happy here, he'll get glory. There, he'll only win financially. Your son's destined to be the greatest in history and here he'll have a team to help get there. He'll enjoy it'."