With Messi heading for PSG, Guardiola shows interest in signing Harry Kane

MANCHESTER: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is "very interested" in signing striker Harry Kane but he needs Tottenham to come to the negotiation table.

The England captain wants out of Tottenham and has indicated City is his preferred destination.

"Harry Kane is an exceptional, extraordinary striker, no doubts about that," Guardiola said Friday.

"Of course we are very interested in him but he's a Tottenham player and if they don't want to negotiate, nothing more to say. If they want to, we will try. That's all."

Kane has yet to report to Tottenham training with the start of the new Premier League season just over a week away.

He's under contract with the north London club until 2024 but has been open with his frustration about the direction of the team and lack of trophies.

Tottenham's seventh-place finish last season left it out of the Champions League.

"He's a player for Tottenham Hotspur," Guardiola said.

"If Tottenham don't want (to) negotiate, it's finished. If they are open to negotiate, of course not (only) Man City, many clubs in the would want to try to sign him, we are not an exception. But it depends on Tottenham."

City broke the British transfer fee record on Thursday to sign midfielder Jack Grealish from Aston Villa.

The Premier League champions paid a fee of 100 million pounds ($139 million).

Grealish's contract had a release clause, unlike Kane's, Guardiola noted.

It might take a new record to persuade Tottenham to sell Kane to a rival.

And Nuno Espirito Santo addressed the issue at his first press conference as Tottenham manager, saying last month: "Look, Harry is our player, period. No need to talk about anything else."

Tottenham hosts City for its season opener on Aug.15.

Guardiola poured cold water on the idea of a reunion with Lionel Messi.

"Right now, (it's) not in our thoughts, absolutely not," Guardiola said at a press conference when asked about signing Messi.

Barcelona announced Thursday that Messi would not remain with the club.

Team president Joan Laporta on Friday blamed the previous administration for the club's dire financial situation, which kept it from fitting Messi's proposed new contract within the Spanish league's fair play regulations.

Guardiola, who appears more interested in Tottenham striker Harry Kane, was the coach at Barcelona from 2008-12 and together he and Messi won two Champions League titles and an array of other trophies.

But he said he hasn't spoken to Messi.

"In the end it was surprise for everyone, me included of course," Guardiola said.

"The president, Laporta, was clear today the reasons why. I didn't speak with the player or the president so I don't know what happened."

Though City, which is owned by the Abu Dhabi royal family, would be one of the few clubs with the financial resources to sign the 34-year-old Messi, it also just broke the British transfer fee record on Thursday by signing Jack Grealish for 100 million pounds ($139 million).

"I would love for him to have finished (at Barcelona)," Guardiola said.

"I, of course, wish him for the last years of his career the best. He will not be forgotten, that's for sure."