Wayne Rooney says Lionel Messi would be the Player of the Year and could win a seventh Ballon d'Or if he makes his expected move to the Premier League.
Rooney, who told Talksport that he was "in awe" when watching Messi in action, also said that the Argentinian superstar was also on "another level" , even compared to his former Man Utd team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Messi saga looks set to be a drawn-out affair, with the player telling Barcelona he wants to leave this summer and activate a clause in his contract that would see him walk away from the club on a free transfer.
Barca contest that clause, saying the deadline for it to be activated has passed, and they have insisted they're trying everything to convince their hero to stay at Camp Nou.
Man City are the big favourites to sign Messi, with PSG, Inter Milan, Chelsea and Man Utd other names in the frame - and possibly the only teams who could even begin to try and afford such a move.
Rooney hopes that Messi comes to the Premier League, and has no doubts that he would light up the league.
“He could come to the Premier League and be a Player of the Year. One million per cent," Rooney told Talksport.
“If he surrounds himself with Bruno Fernandes or Kevin De Bruyne he could win a seventh Ballon d’Or.”
Rooney spent six seasons playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford, but in the never-ending debate about who is the best player, Rooney sounds like he'd actually pick Messi ahead of the Portuguese superstar.
“Him and Cristiano Ronaldo have set a standard which I don’t think we will ever be seen again but, for me, Messi is just different level.
“Messi has everything – he can create goals, score goals, dictate the game and is the best player of all time.
“He’s one of the only players I’ve sat there and watched and been in awe.”
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