In light of Barcelona's recent housecleaning, a Lionel Messi move to Manchester City could certainly be worked out, but not easily.

Yaya Toure, who spent time as Messi's teammate with Barcelona and played for Manchester City soon after, noted the transition isn't far fetched, but it will need stars to align for it to happen.

“It is going to be complicated,” said Toure, according to The Daily Star. “From what I know, Messi loves Barcelona. He loves the city, he loves the club, he loves the philosophy there.

“But if he had to leave the club, maybe he could come to City. Why? Because City have the money to buy him and there are only a few clubs in the Premier League who can afford him, to be honest.

“If he comes to City he is going to be good for City because the rest of the Premier League is quite intense and hard as well.”

If he makes the move to Manchester City, Lionel Messi would also be coming to familiar arms in Pep Guardiola, who was his manager with Barcelona back a few years ago.

That tactical comfort and understanding certainly plays a factor and gives Manchester City an edge over other suitors like Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.

Yet Toure warned that Messi's brand of football is not for everyone:

“The way Messi plays, few managers are going to love him because he just sits off to the side and does not want to defend much,” added Toure. “In England – depending on who is going to criticize him for that — they want you to work, defend and attack and it is not easy.

“But if he came to England, I could see him playing for City because Guardiola knows him better and he could put him in this City team to play his football.

“I have a little bit of doubt that he is going to leave Barcelona, to be honest. Barcelona all boils down to Messi. If Messi leaves there is going to be a massive gap.”

Recently, new Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman met with Messi to address the issues at the Camp Nou.

Lionel Messi is terribly disappointed, there's no doubt about it. Yet it remains to be seen if he's frustrated enough to pack up his bags and leave the only club he's known as a professional and seek a new venture with his old manager in a very different league.