Messi will finish his career at Barcelona, says Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas is convinced that Lionel Messi will finish his career as a one-club man and retire at Barcelona. 

The Argentine moved to Spain with Barca at the age of 13 and has been at Camp Nou ever since, breaking countless records as he has led one of the greatest teams in club history. 

Recently, however, there have been murmurs that all is not well between Messi and the Catalans, with a move to Manchester City mooted for the summer prior to the Premier League side's Champions League ban. 

Nevertheless, there is no doubt in Fabregas' mind that his former team-mate and close friend will bow out at Camp Nou.

"I speak with Messi and his idea has always been to end his career at Barcelona,” he told Cadena Cope.

“Many things can happen at a club but I am fully confident that his career will end at Barca.”

Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated elite football for over a decade, but the time will come when both superstars choose to hang up their boot. 

And out of a gaggle of potential successors, Fabregas sees Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe as the most likely to follow in their footsteps. 

"Cristiano is 35 and Leo is about to turn 33, they're getting old," he added. 

"I would sign Mbappe, for his youth, talent, commitment and mentality. I would go for him to have him at his peak for the next 10 years. 

"Then there are players like Neymar or [Erling] Haaland that are up there, but on talent, goalscoring ability and speed, Mbappe is a player that reminds me of [Thierry] Henry. 

Getty Images

"I watched him from further back up the pitch and it was delightful how he would chase a long pass of yours into space." 

A Liga champion with Barcelona and Premier League winner during his Chelsea days, Fabregas is now at Monaco after moving to the principality in January 2019. 

Real Madrid were one of the clubs interested in his signature at his peak, and it is a move he refuses to rule out - although it would be more likely on the bench rather than the pitch.

"You can never say never," he said. 

"As a player maybe that door is closed, but as a coach you might say it is different because you can train up to 30 teams in your career. 

"The contracts are longer for players and as a coach you have more of a chance because you can get the sack two days in."