Lionel Messi 'rejected offer of £88m signing bonus from Manchester City to pen new contract with Barcelona'

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Lionel Messi turned down an offer of a €100million (£88m) signing bonus from Manchester City to pen a new deal at Barcelona.

The Argentine super star put an end to suggestions he would leave the Nou Camp last month as he finally signed a £500,000-a-week contract which will tie him to the club until 2021.

But, according to Spanish outlet Marca, that followed a huge proposal to bring Messi to the Etihad.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi turned down a £88m signing bonus offer from Manchester City

The Argentine decided to sign a new contract with Barcelona to extend his stay until 2021

City are said to have offered him an incredible £850,000-a-week to move to the Premier League, along with the signing bonus.

Marca also claims that Messi's representatives were approached by the Premier League leaders without permission from his current club.

They moved early, as Messi would have been able to speak to City in the new year if he had not signed a new deal. His old contract was set to run out in the summer.

Messi was also offered £850,000-a-week by the Premier League leaders to sign for them

But City apparently knew they would need to move sooner rather than later if they wanted to bring in the 30-year-old.

In the end, Messi was not convinced it was in his interests to make the move from one set of table toppers to another.

Barcelona are currently five points clear at the top of La Liga after an undefeated start to the season.

Messi himself has scored 13 goals in his 14 league appearances under manager Ernesto Valverde this campaign.