Lionel Messi has high praise for Barcelona teammate; compares him to Xavi

Lionel Messi has been very impressed with one of Barca's summer signings
Lionel Messi has been very impressed with one of Barca's summer signings

What’s the story?

Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has named a teammate of his who has similar talent and skillset as club legend Xavi Hernandez.

In case you didn’t know…

The Argentine has been very impressed with the output of summer signing Arthur Melo. The Brazilian midfielder has so far settled in well at the Camp Nou and has enjoyed a lot of first-team football in recent weeks.

Having joined from hometown club Gremio, Arthur has been a revelation at Barcelona and earned effusive praise from fans and pundits alike, particularly for his professional display in the Clasico defeat of Real Madrid.

The heart of the matter

Messi has been watching the 22-year-old and believes he is the perfect heir to former teammate Xavi, who is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders football has ever seen.

Arthur Melo joined Barcelona from Gremio
Arthur Melo joined Barcelona from Gremio

The Argentine says he is a huge admirer of Arthur and has tipped the young midfielder to go on and achieve great things with Barca.

"Arthur I didn't know that much about but he seems similar to Xavi,” Messi told Tot Costa, as quoted by Kickoff.
"He's very safe and trustworthy. He has the La Masia style. Playing short passes, without losing the ball, and he grasped it quickly, the dynamic of the team."

Xavi himself is a huge fan of Arthur, having previously described the Brazilian midfielder as “a natural talent”.

"I see myself when I see Arthur on television," Xavi told Catalunya Radio, via Kickoff
"He is a very quick thinker. He has a natural talent, but most of all, he has a lot of room to improve through training.
"Arthur is already a mature player and I see that he has massive untapped potential.
"The priority during any match is to never lose the ball and he comes out of a tricky situation with ease. He has a strong personality already."

What's next?

Melo will look to continue his development at Barcelona as the season progresses. He has shown flashes of brilliance, but he needs to ensure he remains consistent and leads his team to trophies if he is to ever be mentioned in the same breath as Xavi.

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Edited by Arvind Sriram