FC Barcelona's Argentine striker Leo Messi dismissed rumors linking him to a possible move to Real Madrid.
With Real Madrid due to hold elections for a new club President in July, sectors of the Spanish press have speculated that one of the candidates could make a move to sign Messi in an attempt to attract votes.
The tactic worked for Florentino Perez, when he took then Barcelona hero Luis Figo to the Bernabeu in 2000. With Perez expected to stand again in July, Messi would be the obvious target.
Manchester City is also thought to be lining up a huge offer in an attempt to lure him to the Premier League.
However, the 21-year-old, who is the hero of Barcelona's Camp Nou Stadium, said on Thursday that he would not be leaving.
"As far as I am concerned, I will stay at Barcelona until the end of my career," he said in sports paper Marca.
Messi was totally dismissive of attempts to link him with Barcelona's bitter rivals Real Madrid.
"Those rumors are pure fantasy," he insisted.
(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2009)
