A newly released on Pep Guardiola book makes the stunning claim that Lionel Messi floated the notion of joining Manchester City in 2020.

That summer Barcelona were defeated 8-2 by Bayern Munich in a chastening Champions League defeat. In the aftermath of that disgrace Messi sent the now-infamous burofax to the club, expressing his wish to depart Camp Nou.

Messi was prevented from departing that summer and would go on to play one extra season with Barcelona. But a new book from Spanish journalist Martí Perarnau reveals that Messi had broached the notion of joining Manchester City in 2020, even visiting with former coach Pep Guardiola to discuss the move.

The book, ‘God Save Pep’, claims that Messi travelled to Guardiola’s residence to make the suggestion, explaining that he “felt uncomfortable” at Barça. Messi expressed his unhappiness with then-club president Josep Maria Bartomeu and the rest of the Barça board, adding that he felt “deceived and betrayed” by their conduct.

The book claims that Guardiola was interested in removing Messi from Barcelona, the club where both men had gone to the very top of the game. But Messi was still tied to the Catalan club and the status of the burofax request was still being challenged by player and club.

Guardiola reportedly promised to bring Messi to the Etihad Stadium if his Barcelona exit could be achieved. However the club disputed Messi’s allegations that the burofax request permitted him to depart the club. At that moment, in the summer of 2020, Messi still had one year left on his contract and a release clause set at €750 million.

After his burofax request was denied, Messi was committed to the club for the final year of his Barcelona contract and would go on to leave for Paris Saint-Germain the following year.

Perarnau’s book covers Guardiola’s seven years in command of Manchester City. In it the three-time Champions League champion describes a difficult first year in England, which prompted him to “question his worth as a coach”. Man City have won five Premier League titles and the Champions League under Guardiola, a prize that had previously evaded them.

Guardiola is dubbed “the Johan Cruyff of Manchester City” by Perarnau.