Those close to Lionel Messi have insisted that the key to him staying or not staying at Barcelona will not be money, rather he wants to form part of a team that can compete for all titles.
Messi hasn't been smiling much this season because this current incarnation of Barcelona isn't as strong as some of those from the past, but he was smiling again in Bilbao on Wednesday night and the main person responsible for that was Pedri.
The teenager from Tenerife speaks the same footballing language as Messi.
He may only have been at the club for a few months, but Pedri has already become the player who has the best synergy with the captain.
With Luis Suarez having departed, the No.10 needed a new partner on the pitch, somebody who could return his one-two passes without even thinking about it and somebody who could guess where the play was going.
Pedri has appeared to fulfil this requirement and this was seen perfectly with the second goal on Wednesday night, as the former Las Palmas man backheeled the ball into Messi's path for the Argentine to pass it into the net.
As he celebrated the goal, Messi had a huge smile on his face and pointed at Pedri, amazed and grateful for the assist.
Obviously Pedri isn't the one who has to try to convince Messi to stay and to sign a new contract, but his play makes everything easier on the pitch for the No.10 and makes any decision to leave more difficult.
More Pedri master classes could convince Messi that this team has a future.
Antoine Griezmann also had a better game in Bilbao, assisting Messi's second goal of the night.
Yet the star was Pedri, who could become a top player for the Blaugrana. He already has Messi's blessing and that means a lot.