Former Barcelona defender Giovanni van Bronckhorst told AFP that he hopes Lionel Messi will finish his career at the Camp Nou, as speculation swirls about the superstar's future.
Messi is reportedly frustrated with Barcelona's failure to build a top-notch squad, and tired of purported leaks from the Spanish club which paint him in a bad light.
Radio station Cadena Ser reported last week that the Argentine had broken off negotiations on extending his contract, which runs until 2021, and was thinking of leaving.
Dutchman van Bronckhorst, 45, who is now coaching Guangzhou R&F in China, told AFP: "I would love to see him be part of Barcelona for his whole career. "He's one of the (few) players to stay his whole career at the same club. "I admire him as a person and a player and hopefully he will stay there.