Manchester City FC have confirmed the signing of Barcelona's key midfielder, Lionel Messi, on loan until the end of the season.

The deal will see Messi leave his current club and move to La Liga side, Real Madrid, where he is expected to play alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi, who has been with Barcelona since he joined the club in 2014, has made over 500 appearances for the Spanish giants, scoring more than 1,000 goals.

The move comes as Manchester City look to strengthen their attacking line-up ahead of the upcoming campaign.

Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, praised Messi's contribution to the team during his time at Camp Nou and said that he would be "very happy" to see him return to Spain.

"We are very excited to welcome Lionel back to Barcelona," Laporta said. "He was a key player for us during his time here, and we wish him all the best in his new challenge."

In addition to Messi, Manchester City also announced the signing of Brazilian striker, Neymar Jr., on loan from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Neymar Jr. has been a key part of PSG's success this season, scoring 38 goals in 46 games and helping them reach the Champions League final last season.

The move marks the second loan deal for Neymar in just over a month, following his move to Barcelona earlier this year.

Barcelona's decision to sign both Messi and Neymar Jr. comes after they secured a £75 million transfer window last summer, which saw them add several players including Xherdan Shaqiri and Thiago Alcantara.

The signings of Messi and Neymar Jr. are seen as significant moves by Manchester City, who aim to strengthen their squad ahead of the upcoming campaign.

They are also hoping to improve their chances of winning the Premier League title next season, which is currently held by Liverpool FC.