Manchester City will wait until March or April before making an enquiry for Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, according to reports.
Messi faces an uncertain future beyond this season, with his contract at the Camp Nou set to expire on June 30.
The Argentina international tried to leave Barcelona last summer, but the club stood firm and kept hold of their greatest ever player.
However, it will be much more straightforward for Messi to move on at the end of this season.
City and PSG are said to be leading the race for the Argentine, who turns 34 in June.
Barcelona are in institutional limbo at present, with presidential elections scheduled for early March.
The vote to elect a permanent successor to Josep Maria Bartomeu was originally due to take place in January, but the coronavirus pandemic forced the club to push the date back.
The outcome of that vote could have a big impact on whether or not Messi decides to stay at Barcelona.
And according to ESPN, City are prepared to remain patient in their pursuit of the forward.
Although Messi is free to sign a pre-contract agreement with non-La Liga sides ahead of next term, City are handling their interest carefully.
They do not want to go public with their desire to sign Messi as they believe that could harm their chances of completing a deal.
PSG, by contrast, have made it clear that they would like to bring the six-time Ballon d’Or winner to the Parc des Princes.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino and sporting director Leonardo have both confirmed PSG’s interest in recent interviews.
Their approach has irked key figures at Barcelona, and City have reason to believe that Messi himself does not enjoy the public speculation.
Pep Guardiola’s side are five points clear at the top of the Premier League after Sunday’s 4-1 thrashing of Liverpool.
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