Manchester City are in talks with Barcelona about a first refusal option on Lionel Messi.
The People says Mark Hughes was ready to pay £100million for the Argentinian, but was told he did not want to make the switch.
City were unwilling to be publicly turned down again by one of the world's top players so they have asked his father and agent Jorge, as well as Barcelona, for an agreement which would see them have the first option to sign Messi if he ever wanted to leave.
Messi has no desire to leave Barca at the moment, having been at the Nou Camp since he was a boy, but City are prepared to wait in the hope of signing one of the biggest talents.
Even though Hughes has spent more than £100m this summer on several big names, he is still unable to capture the world superstar he has been craving.