Pep wants Messi to finish career with Barca

            

Pep Guardiola has ruled out the possibility of Lionel Messi joining him at Manchester City.

Spanish newspaper Marca reported the Barcelona forward did not want to consider his future at the Camp Nou until the end of his current contract, which runs until 2018.

That prompted links with City and chief executive Ferran Soriano made it clear that the Premier League side would welcome him to the Etihad if he ever decided to leave the Spanish champions.

However, a Barca club source has told ESPN FC that they are confident that Messi will extend his contract despite reports suggesting he had rejected the chance to renew his terms in the summer.

And Guardiola says he expects Messi to finish his career at the Camp Nou despite speculation over his contract talks.

"I told you more than once that Messi will stay at Barcelona and he will finish his career at Barcelona," the manager told a news conference ahead of City's Premier League clash with Burnley on Saturday.

"It's my wish. I wish that he goes from the beginning to the end at Barcelona."

Guardiola has described the 29-year-old as "the best player of all time" in the past and was instrumental in his early career in Spain.

However, he denied ahead of City's Champions League clash with Barca in October that the club had tried to sign Messi or teammates Neymar and Luis Suarez in the summer.