Lionel Messi heaps praise on Arsenal & Chelsea transfer target Nico Paz after seeing ex-Real Madrid starlet impress on his Argentina debut

The 20-year-old former Real Madrid starlet played his maiden senior international match on Tuesday as he was brought in as a second-half substitute in place of Lautaro Martinez in Argentina's 6-0 win over Bolivia in a 2026 CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying game.

Argentina skipper Messi, who was in red-hot form with a hat-trick and two assists in the match, heaped praise on Paz while claiming that the youngster has a bright future ahead. Per TBR, Premier League giants Arsenal and Chelsea are closely monitoring the progress of the young Como midfielder ahead of the January transfer window.

Speaking to reporters, Messi said: "We played very well between the lines, at a high level. Now Nico Paz has made his debut, and he has a lot of quality and I hope he continues to grow. He wasn't born when I made my debut in Primera, yes, I knew (laughs).

"He has a great head, he understands the game perfectly and I hope he continues like this. He played, he enjoyed it and I think he'll feel comfortable in this team because he likes having the ball."

The former Barcelona star will return to club football now and will be back in action for Inter Miami, who face the New England Revolution in MLS on Saturday.