Manchester City made attempts for Barcelona stars Lionel Messi and Neymar over the summer, it has been revealed.

The Sun says City had THREE conversations with the representatives of Messi and Neymar before realising neither was attainable for now.

The news of City's interest in the pair comes after former Barcelona president John Laporta said in the summer that the club were conspiring to sell Messi to Manchester City as he enters his final two years of a huge contract.

It would seem that Pep Guardiola is in perhaps no rush to sign either of the players but could force Barcelona's hand next summer if Messi is yet to sign a contract which would leave him with just one year left on his current deal and the Catalans would not want to risk losing their best ever player for free.