Dani Alves urges Lionel Messi to come back to Barcelona to finish his career

Dani Alves has made a public plea to former team-mate Lionel Messi to follow in his footsteps by returning to Barcelona to finish his career as there is no 'better place' to play.

Alves and Messi worked together for more than eight years at Barca until the former departed for Juventus in 2016 before also having stints at PSG and Sao Paulo.

At that point, the wing-back couldn’t have known he would have the opportunity to return to the Nou Camp, and especially not at the age of 38.

Alves, who won six LaLiga titles, three Champions League crowns and three Club World Cup trophies among other major honours, returned to the Nou Camp in November, five years after his first stint with the Catalan giants came to an end.

Although he didn't ever expect to return to Barca without Argentinian international Messi being at the club, as he looked destined to play out his entire career for the La Liga side.

Alves told Tot Costa de Catalunya Radio via Sport: 'Messi is the best player in the history of football. It's strange to be here and not see him, to not have him in the squad.

'Sometimes things don't happen as we dream. I already told him that he is not going to be in any better place than here.

'He told me the same when I left. It would be very good if Messi finishes his career here.'

Messi, 34, only left the Nou Camp last summer after Barcelona's financial crisis led to him making the move to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has not hit the dizzying heights expected in the French top-flight after managing to register just one league goal after seeing his campaign disrupted by injury and Covid.

It is not even halfway through the season and Messi is already being linked with a move back to the Nou Camp.

But his deal at the Parc des Prince runs until 2023 and Messi reportedly intends to honour the contract.

Messi is reportedly set to earn £30million per annum in wages with the French giants and therefore will most likely have to settle for reduced wages if he is to re-join Barcelona.