Dani Alves calls for Barcelona to re-sign Lionel Messi

Barcelona defender Dani Alves has urged the Catalan giants to re-sign Lionel Messi, with the Argentine believed to be pushing for a return to Camp Nou.

The forward surprisingly left Barcelona on a free transfer last summer due to their financial issues, with Paris Saint-Germain landing the 34-year-old on an initial two-year contract.

Messi has found it difficult to show his best form for PSG this season, though, scoring just once in Ligue 1, although he has netted five times in the 2021-22 Champions League.

A recent report claimed that the South American's family are desperate to move back to Barcelona, and Alves has called for the club to "take care of it".

"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," Alves told Catalunya Radio. "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. Finishing it here would be a great gift for him, and the club could take care of it."

Alves, who played alongside Messi during his first spell at Camp Nou, returned to Barcelona towards the end of last year after leaving Brazilian side Sao Paulo.