With Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola signing a new two-year contract that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2022-23 season, former Blues winger Trevor Sinclair expected the Premier League outfit to launch an audacious bid to bring Barcelona superstar Messi onto their books.

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner is due to become a free agent in 2021, having seen a move away from Camp Nou blocked in the last transfer window.

A frustrated Lionel Messi said yesterday that he is tired of being blamed for problems at Barcelona after he was accused by Antoine Griezmann's former agent of making life difficult for the French striker at the La Liga club.

Messi returned to Barcelona from international duty with Argentina on Wednesday when he was accosted by reporters at the airport.

"The truth is that I'm a little tired of always being the problem for everything at the club," Messi was quoted as saying by Spanish media.

"On top of that, after a 15-hour flight, I had the tax authorities waiting for me. It's madness."

With one year left on his contract, Messi tried to activate a disputed clause to leave Barcelona for free in the off-season, but eventually decided to stay as he did not want to face a legal battle with the club.

City have the funds in place to complete a stunning deal and Sinclair believes the Argentine icon will be soon be reunited with former Barca boss Guardiola.

The ex-City winger Sinclair told talkSPORT of fresh terms for a proven tactician and the impact that could have at the Etihad: "I think every City fan is going to be buzzing when they hear this news.

"For me, you look at what has gone on with him signing a new two-year contract, there are rumours Kevin De Bruyne is going to sign a new contract… I think Messi is inevitable.

"I can't see anything other than that. And I look at the club I supported, 'little old Manchester City', signing the best player in the world and possibly winning the Champions League…"

Sinclair added on an approach for Messi, with the 33-year-old South American free to discuss pre-contract terms with his many suitors from January: "I can't see it any other way.

"He is too young to go back to Argentina, and I don't think there is any other club where they have the right manager in place where Messi would go in and feel comfortable under that manager.

"I feel it is inevitable it is going to happen… and I can't wait for it to happen!"