Get the biggest City transfer window stories, pre-season news and updates delivered straight to your inbox Speculative scenarios will not yield tangible answers.
But, the beauty remains in the limitless possibilities which remain especially when it comes to near-misses and momentous what-if moments.
Last summer, Lionel Messi's proposed move to the Etihad was one such moment which will go down in history as an event which almost became a turning point in the history of football.
Messi was tantalisingly close to a spectacular switch to Manchester City in 2020. The Argentine was reportedly ready to leave his boyhood club as his relationship soured with the Catalans' board before a final change of mind.
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