Barcelona Transfer News: Lionel Messi to Bayern Munich Rumours Shot Down

Lionel Messi reuniting with Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich? It's a potential scenario that fans of the German giants can only dream of, but according to the club's chief executive officer, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, it will not be happening anytime soon.

Speaking to Kicker (h/t ESPN FC), the Bayern legend compared Messi's affinity with the Camp Nou club to Philipp Lahm's longstanding influence with the Bavarian giants:

"

Messi and Barcelona are like a marriage for a lifetime. They should not be separated from each other, just like Bayern and [Philipp] Lahm.

I know those in charge at Barcelona pretty well, they will never sell him. He has a 250 million-euro release clause. Messi has to stay at Barcelona.

"

Lennart Preiss/Getty Images

Messi has been linked with a potential move away from Catalonia throughout January, with moves to Chelsea and Manchester United mentioned, per Martin Samuel of the Daily Mail. Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe ran the rule over a potential move to the latter of the duo but doesn't think Messi will ever leave Barcelona:

If the four-time Ballon d'Or winner was to ever up sticks and look for another challenge, perhaps Bayern would be high on his list of potential clubs to join. After all, during their time together at Barcelona, Guardiola and Messi helped the Catalonian club to a golden spell of trophies, fashioning what many will argue is the greatest club side in the history of the game.

David Ramos/Getty Images

The former Barcelona midfielder played a vital part in turning Messi into the astonishing player he is today, too, per barcastuff:

"

Sine Guardiola became coach in the summer of 2008, Lionel Messi has scored 343 goals in 343 games with Barcelona #fcblive [via @fcb_datos]

— barcastuff (@barcastuff) January 25, 2015"

Indeed, it's difficult to imagine Messi donning any club colours other than the famous Blaugrana strip. Despite speculation raging about his future, he currently looks well settled at the Camp Nou. As noted here by Squawka Football, the Argentine has begun 2015 in sensational form and looks primed for a tilt at the Ballon d'Or:

You suspect Messi will have eyes for other accolades prior to that individual totem, however—most notably Champions League and La Liga glory. Barca certainly have the attacking talent to accomplish those feats, and as Tighe notes, if they click into gear towards the end of the campaign, the Blaugrana could be in for a glorious season:

Guardiola is instilling his philosophies with insouciant distinction at Bayern, and if any team is going to halt Barcelona in their quest for the European Cup, it could be them. From a neutral standpoint, having been on the winning side together on so many occasions previously, it'd be intriguing to see just how Guardiola would attempt to shackle Messi as an opposing manager.

The prospect of the two linking up once again is a tantalising one, but at this juncture, the only way this looks likely to happen is if the Bayern manager returns to Barcelona for a second spell as boss. While neither are remotely close to fruition, that looks the more plausible scenario.

As Rummenigge notes himself, Messi simply has to stay at Barcelona.