Samuel Eto’o insists Lionel Messi is so important to Barcelona the club will need to change their name if the Argentine departs this summer.
Messi and Eto’o played alongside each other at Camp Nou between 2004 and 2009, winning six major honours including the historic treble of the 2008/09 campaign.
The downturn in form has led to speculation Messi could depart this summer, and Eto’o believes such an exit would leave Barcelona devoid of identity.
“I love Messi like he was my own son, I want the best for him. Barcelona is Messi, and I think if Messi decides to leave, we’ll have to change the name of the club,” Eto’o told Argentine broadcaster TyCSports.
“We are lucky in that at Barcelona, we have the best player in the world and of all-time, we have to do everything possible to ensure he finishes his career at Barcelona.”
