Barcelona legend Samuel Eto'o is confident Lionel Messi will extend his contract and spend the rest of his career at the club.
Argentine icon Messi, who joined Barcelona's youth system at the age of 13, remains the Catalan side's most productive player, having scored 24 goals and provided 15 assists in 31 appearances this season.
The 32-year-old's contract with the Primera Division outfit expires at the end of June 2021, but Eto’o is confident six-time Ballon d’Or winner will commit to the club for a few more years.
“He can extend his contract at Barcelona. He still has the legs to go with it,” Eto’o told Goal.
“I think he will finish his career at Barcelona and if he feels he can do it then he can do it.”
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Speculation surrounding Messi's future appeared again last month when it was reported Manchester City hoped to sign him for free thanks to a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave the club at the end of any season, while David Beckham's MLS franchise Inter Miami was touted as another potential destination.
Meanwhile, he has been linked with a move back to Argentina to see out his playing days with boyhood team Newell's Old Boys.
The uncertainty was sparked by Messi's public clash with sporting director Eric Abidal after he criticised the team for their performances this season while the attacker was surprised by claims Barca hired a PR company that created social media accounts to tarnish his reputation as well as those of some of his team-mates.
But Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu insisted last week that he is confident they can convince their prized asset to play out the remainder of his career at Camp Nou.
"Messi is the best player in the world," Bartomeu said when asked about Messi's contract situation. "There's no need to explain anything - I have done so many times in the past.
"Messi will continue at Barca and Messi will retire at Barca. I don't have the belief that he's feeling alone. I know many people have said that, but I don't think it's the case."
