Manchester City With Lionel Messi Would Be Scary, Arsenal Star Says

Amid Lionel Messi's links to Manchester City, Arsenal star Dani Ceballos has shared his thoughts on the Barcelona captain's potential reunion with Pep Guardiola in the Premier League.

Following Messi’s Barcelona exit saga in the summer, big-name European clubs continue to pursue the Argentine and wait for his final decision. Manchester City emerged as the frontrunner for Messi’s signature, a move that would reunite him with his former coach.

Though Messi’s move to City is far from guaranteed, Arsenal midfielder Ceballos said that fans would be thrilled to have the six-time Ballon d’Or winner in the English top-flight. However, he is also aware that the Citizens would be scary should the Guardiola-Messi tandem be revived.

“People would really enjoy [Lionel] Messi in England,” Ceballos recently told Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo. “Soccer is lived as a religion, and having such an important footballer would be a gift. If it happens, it would be a tremendous step for the league. Although a City with [Pep] Guardiola and Messi would be scary because it would be almost insurmountable.”

Messi’s current contract with Barca is set to expire next year. Though he hasn’t confirmed anything yet, Interim Barcelona president Carlos Tusquets has already suggested that it would be good for the club if an expensive player like Messi will go.

"Economically speaking, I would've sold Messi in the summer window," Tusquets recently told radio station RAC1. "Both in terms of what you save on the wage bill as well as the money you make, it would've been desirable. But this is something the coaching staff have to consent to and that's not my place.”

"La Liga are setting salary limits at the moment and this would've helped on that front," the acting president concluded.

However, Barca manager Ronald Koeman doesn’t share Tusquets' opinion. For Koeman, Messi is still with Barcelona and only the player himself can decide whether he wants to stay or leave.

“Comments from outside [Barcelona] the club are of no interest to me,” Koeman told reporters in a news conference Friday. “But the comments inside the club don't help keep the peace of mind that we need to win matches. We can't control what others say. Inside it's different.”

“It may well be [Tusquets'] personal opinion, and I respect all opinions, but Leo has another year at Barca,” he added. “He will decide where his future will be. Hopefully it will be here, but he decides.”