I continue to take encouragement from the fact even a month ago people at City were saying to me Messi would not sign a deal before it elapsed.
That has been borne out and then I have to ask myself, how did they know that would be the case, what else does the club know, who is feeding them the inside track?
When someone tells me City's business is essentially done, I try to think logically about such a statement.
Grealish, Kane? Sure, those deals could be boxed off, certainly with the players, but their respective clubs are still standing firm in public, at least.
But someone like Messi, he now gets to control his destiny, so in turn, gets to control the message and timelines?
Our deal was agreed last summer, so not a stretch to suggest something was put on ice if Barca could not deliver on their promises to him?