Manchester City continue to look in to the viability of signing Lionel Messi.

Last week Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho said the Blues could not sign the Argentine because of the Financial Fair Play restraints.

A £200m transfer fee plus a gross package nearing £500,000 a week is obviously a massive obstacle.

But City’s money men are still looking into how a deal could be calibrated, especially in the knowledge that tax implications could yet force Messi to leave Spain.

Manchester City are still interested in a deal to sign four-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi (second left)

Roberto Martinez is the next Premier League manager who faces the axe.

In a shock development it is understood Martinez is suddenly under immense pressure at Everton in the wake of Neil Warnock’s dismissal at Crystal Palace. The 66-year-old Yorkshireman became the first Premier League managerial casualty of the season on Saturday.

The man who is being lined to replace Martinez as new Goodison Park boss is former England manager Steve McClaren, currently in charge at Derby.

Roberto Martinez is under mounting pressure at Goodison Park after the Boxing Day defeat by Stoke City

Referee Lee Mason books Everton and Scotland forward Steven Naismith during the 1-0 defeat

At the start of the season Martinez seemed fireproof.

Such was the Spaniard’s reputation that he was spoken of as potential successor to Arsene Wenger at Arsenal or even a future England manager.

But Everton have underperformed this season and Grapevine sources tell us that Martinez’s job is now on the line.

Derby manager Steve McClaren (right) could be the man to replace Martinez should he be sacked

Tony Popovic has emerged as a leading candidate to become the new Crystal Palace manager after the dismissal of Neil Warnock.

Popovic is a former Palace player and currently boss of Western Sydney Wanderers in his native Australia.

As soon as Warnock was dismissed the names of Tim Sherwood, Chris Hughton were bandied about.

So to Paul Clement (ex-Chelsea coach now at Real Madrid) and strangely Dutchman Dick Advocaat.

But Popovic could prove to be a shock appointment.

Former Crystal Palace defender and assistant manager Tony Popovic watches his Western Sydney Wanderers side in the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco last week

Marco Reus to Real Madrid stories are now in over drive.

This column revealed that Borussia Dortmund’s Reus will be Madrid’s 'Galactico' signing next summer a month ago.

But that does not necessarily mean Gareth Bale will leave Madrid for Manchester United at the end of the season because of Reus’s arrival as has been predicted in some quarters.

Yes, United want Bale. They are prepared to pay a £120million transfer fee and give the player at least £350,000 a week wages.

But we are told ideally Bale wants to negotiate a new contract and stay in Spain.

Dortmund and Germany winger Marco Reus celebrates scoring against Bayern Munich back in November

I am hearing: Such is the vanity of top flight footballers that at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground there is now a 'resident' teeth-whitening dentist.

I am also hearing: If West Ham and Sam Allardyce part company at the end of the season then Gus Poyet is a leading candidate to replace him.

I bet: West Ham are 25-1 with Corals to beat Arsenal on Sunday. That’s got to be worth the cost of a skinny latte for the potential return of a bulls eye.

BTW: I’m still baffled why the Premier League felt it appropriate to stage a minute's applause ahead of Boxing Day matches in memory of the so called Truce Match which allegedly happened at the first Christmas of the World War I.

Can anyone actually provide proof such a game occurred?

Actually, I understand it could have been there were several impromptu 'kickabouts' on several fronts from Belgium to Greece.

West Ham players line up for a minute's applause ahead of their Boxing Day defeat at Chelsea

But in essence it’s one of the myths that have run out of control.

Moreover why does the corporate football machine of the Premier League think they can 'own' this story in a manner where it seems they say: 'we unite the world'.

It is estimated around 15million people died as a consequence of the 1914-18 conflict.

I can’t see any reason to clap about that.

Certainly not for reflected glory.

I-Say: It had been the longest time from the start of a Premier League season for a manager to be sacked since 1996, when Roy McFarland was ousted by Bolton.

But on Saturday the seal was finally broken as Neil Warnock was shown the door by Crystal Palace.

Now Warnock is not everyone’s cup of tea.

Indeed I know of some people in the game who would happily punch him on the nose.

Crystal Palace sacked manager Neil Warnock (centre) after the 3-1 Boxing Day defeat by Southampton

But to be axed so soon after being appointed at the start of the season after Tony Pulis parted company with the club having 'fallen out' with supremo Steve Parish before a ball had been kicked?

Seems rash.

Yes, Parish will point to the fact that last season getting rid of Ian Holloway and appointing Pulis in the autumn saved the club’s Premier League bacon.

He might be proved correct again. On the other hand, if the now parted Warnock was such a mistake one has to wonder at the rationale of recruitment at Palace.

Palace co-chairman Steve Parish (right) has seen two managers come and go since August

But of course the trend in the modern game is for boardroom chiefs to sack the manager the moment the natives get restless on the basis of acting before the natives turn on, well, them.

Looking back the often maligned Martin Edwards arguably did the best bit of service for Manchester United from Busby to Best et al when he stood by Alex Ferguson when it seemed after nearly FOUR years - not six months - the wheels appeared to be falling off. And the rest, as they say...