- 12 hours ago
Messi told to stay put at Barcelona to help Pedri’s development
Stefan Bienkowski
- Updated: 19 May 2021 13:39 BST
- 5 min read
Barcelona prospect Pedri hopes Lionel Messi will stay at the Spanish side for many years to come so he can learn from the Argentine’s skills and talent.
Unlike most of the young players in the Barcelona squad, Pedri isn’t a product of the club’s famed La Masia academy.
In fact, Pedri only joined the club last summer when he agreed to join Barcelona on a five-year contract after the Catalan giants bought him from Las Palmas for a fee believed to be around €5 million.
However, his inaugural season at Camp Nou may be his last alongside Messi, with the senior striker’s contract with Barcelona due to expire at the end of the season.
READ MORE: How much Barcelona could be forced to pay for Pedri
Unless Messi and Barcelona can reach an agreement over a new deal, it’s likely that the 33-year-old striker will move on to another club, with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain reportedly keen on signing the player.
However, Pedri remains confident that Messi will stay at the club and hopes he’ll be able to make full use of his team mates’ remaining years as a player.
“I hope I can be close to him for many years,” he told El Club del Deportista. “It would be great if we could enjoy Messi and I could learn many things alongside him.”
How good has Pedri been for Barcelona this season?
Despite only joining the club last summer, Pedri has quickly established himself as a first team regular and as such one of the most promising players in European football.
To date, the 18-year-old forward has picked up three goals and six assists in all competitions for Ronald Koeman’s side.
Although those numbers aren’t entirely convincing, it’s the composure and maturity that Pedri has shown when called upon that suggests the young talent is already prepared to make the step up for Barcelona and begin starting games on a regular basis.
Read more about: Lionel Messi, Pedri
