Pep Guardiola admits Lionel Messi could be the next Barcelona superstar to have his release clause triggered

The Argentine has a £277m buyout clause with his current contract expiring next summer

Guardiola believes there will be a club willing to pay for Messi (Getty Images)

Pep Guardiola has admitted that Lionel Messi could be the next big name to leave Barcelona by having a club trigger his release clause.

The Argentine’s former teammate Neymar left for Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month for a world-record fee of £200m and, with Messi yet to sign a new contract, his buyout clause still remains at £277m.

Manchester City have been linked with a move for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner in the past, with the play himself allegedly telling Barcelona he wanted to join Guardiola at the Etihad last summer.

And with PSG already activating Neymar’s buyout clause, Guardiola admitted it is possible a club could follow suit and take Messi.

“I don't know,” he said. “Someone might have if they have the money and want to spend it. It might happen.”

Messi’s current contract expires at the end of the season, meaning clubs and begin to discuss a free transfer with him from 1 January, in four months’ time.

Although Barca are insistent Messi will sign a new deal, pen has yet to be put to paper even though he was expected sign the contract in mid-July which would keep him at the Nou Camp until 2021 and raise his release clause to a reported €1bn.