Football was shocked to its core this summer when news surfaced that Lionel Messi wanted to leave Barcelona.
Messi declared he wanted to depart Barcelona in the close-season after spending his entire career with the Catalunya club.
The Argentine superstar has scored 640 goals in 741 appearances in 17 seasons with Barcelona.
According to some newspapers, such as Gazzetta dello Sport, among Messi's possible destinations was Inter Milan.
But Italian transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio never bought into the speculation and denied Inter were able to afford the footballing maestro.
Asked by Tribalfootball.com about Inter's interest in Messi, Di Marzio said: "I have always expressed myself in the opposite direction, I took my responsibilities, I risked because so many important newspapers came out with 'the Messi dream', I said that nothing came of it.
"I took a risk, but fortunately for the trust I have earned in the world of football I think that one source can throw me astray, but not five sources at the same time, so if I said that, it was because I had my good reasons to say that there was no possibility."
Messi, 33, still looks like leaving the Camp Nou despite the imminent change in club president from Josep Maria Bartomeu.
And Di Marzio revealed that it was actually Manchester City who were the closest to signing Messi in the summer transfer window.
However, the Sky Blues baulked at meeting Messi's release clause of €700m, and Di Marzio believes he will stay at Barca beyond next summer.
He added: "It was City, it was the team where he would have gone if he left, but Barça still wanted the entire payment of the buyout clause.
"No president in Barcelona would want or could ever sign-off over the sale of Messi, if you know the Blaugrana world you know this.
"I would have found it very strange. And I think that the new Barcelona president can only present himself with the renewal of Messi. For me he will continue there."
You can purchase Gianluca Di Marzio's fantastic new book, Grand Hotel Calciomercato, by clicking here.
