Aguero Believes Messi Will Continue To Play At Barcelona

Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero (doc. Between)

JAKARTA - Sergio Aguero believes Lionel Messi will stay with Barcelona. Especially after the Manchester City striker signed a contract on a free transfer with the Catalan club.

Aguero, 32, has agreed a two-year contract with Barcelona after announcing earlier this month he will leave Manchester City when his contract expires in June after ten years in England.

Messi's contract expires next month and his future has been shrouded in speculation since last August when he first announced he would leave Barcelona.

But Aguero, who is Messi's teammate in the Argentina national team, believes the two compatriots will play together at Camp Nou next season.

Con el compromiso y la pasion de siempre, ahora #Barça Visca el Barça!! pic.twitter.com/HlIoSzhSRq

— Sergio Kun Aguero (@aguerosergiokun) May 31, 2021

"Obviously we hope to play together," said Aguero as quoted by the ESPN website.

"But what happened to Leo is a decision he will make with this club. If he stays here, which I think he will, we will give our best for this in order to achieve great things."

Aguero and Messi grew up with Argentina since the Under-20 World Cup in 2005 and the 2008 Olympics. Since then they have remained friends.

"I talk every day (with Messi), but I can't say what it's about," continued Aguero with a laugh. "His final message was that he agreed that I had signed the contract."

"I've known him since childhood, train with him every day because the national team isn't often, so it's a lot easier."

ESPN has received news that Barcelona president Joan Laporta is working on a two-year contract for Messi, who turns 34 this month, with the option of a season extension.

But Laporta denied that signing Aguero was a lubricant for Messi to stay with Barcelona.

"We signed (Aguero) because he is an incredibly great player," said Laporta. "He plays in a very important position for any system and especially in ours. He is clinical and very important. We signed him because we wanted a competitive team."