Messi's future has been the subject of intense speculation after he handed in a transfer request at Barcelona earlier in the week.
In the immediate aftermath of the 33-year-old's decision, it was reported that the Argentina captain had already held discussions with City over a potential reunion with former Barca boss Pep Guardiola.
"In Italy, they pay less tax and, in fact, there is Cristiano Ronaldo. It's harder for me to see [Messi] in England, no matter how long his friends [Sergio] Aguero and Guardiola are at City.
"Now in Italy, they are trying to revitalise the world of football with great signings and with these advantages in the advertising contracts of the football players.
"What Barca has to do is rethink its situation. If, with Leo Messi, they didn't know where the team's course was going to go, imagine it without him."
