The six-time Ballon d’Or winner is yet to make an official decision on his future, keeping many guessing on his next move
Samuel Eto’o is confident Leo Messi will not leave Barcelona this summer or any time in the near future.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner is heading towards becoming a free agent, with no extension agreed to a deal due to expire at the end of June.
Talks regarding fresh terms are ongoing, with there still being a chance the one-club man will put pen to paper to the deal, but according to the former Cameroon international, who is now an ambassador for the Qatar World Cup in 2022, he cannot imagine Messi wearing a different shirt apart from that of Barcelona.
“I can’t imagine Leo with another shirt. It is his club, his home, his love,” Eto’o said as quoted by marca.com.
“I do not think that his continuity is due to a question of money. Leo is Barcelona and Barcelona is Messi. I know [president Joan] Laporta is preparing a reliable, interesting project for him.”
On the arrival of Segio Aguero at Barcelona, Eto’o said: “Between the two of them they can add 60 goals per season, I only ask that God protects them from injury.”
On playing alongside Messi, Eto’o explained: “He had everything. I felt he should score more goals, he was a very quiet boy, but it makes me happy that in one season he scored 40-45 goals.
“Playing with Messi makes games easier for you, I thank him very much.
“He may have said in the media that I helped him in the beginning, but what he gave us was more than what we could give him. I couldn’t teach him how to play, because he is a God.”
In a recent interview, Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman said Messi “has to finish his career at Barcelona”, with the Blaugrana boss expecting a contract extension for the mercurial Argentine to be announced “soon”.
Koeman told Sport when asked for an update on a long-running saga in Catalunya: “Messi has to finish his career at Barcelona, so I hope we can make it official soon.”
Barca president Laporta has stated on a regular basis, even before he returned to office at Camp Nou, that he believes Messi will stay put.
That message has been reiterated, although he has suggested that the paperwork will not be completed imminently since Messi is currently away on Copa America duty with Argentina.
While waiting on a call from Messi, Barca are working hard to put more pieces of a trophy-winning puzzle in place alongside their iconic captain.
Deals have been done for Aguero, Eric Garcia, and Emerson Royal, while Memphis Depay has completed a switch from Lyon as a free agent.
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