Manchester City have categorically played down suggestions that they are mounting a £100million bid for Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.

Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim, who was believed to be a board member at Eastlands, stated "Messi is a player that makes me love Argentina again." leading many to believe City were preparing a big-money raid on Camp Nou for Josep Guardola's prized asset.

However, City have stated Al-Fahim holds no position at City and that the story linking Messi, who has rebuffed talk he wants to leave Barca, with the club are untrue.

"Following an article in The Sunnewspaper which claimed that Manchester City are preparing a £100m bid for Lionel Messi, the club would like to make the following information clear," read a statement on the club's official website.

"The story is untrue and this fact has been accepted by the newspaper in question. General comments about Lionel Messi, made by Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim, who holds no position at the club, were mistakenly linked to Manchester City.

"The article was printed in error and an apology to His Highness Sheikh Mansour, Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim and a correction in Saturday's edition of the newspaper will follow."