Sao Paulo star Dani Alves has delighted Barcelona fans after the Brazilian national team player revealed in a recent interview monitored by renowned media outlet Goal that he has told Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi that he belongs to the Catalan club.

Messi has been the subject of transfer speculation in recent months due to the fact that his contract expires this summer. During the former presidential regime of Josep Maria Bartomeu, the petite Argentine magician tried to leave the club but last summer when he had one year to run but was unable to get his wish.

The Barcelona academy product was said to be unhappy at the direction the club was going under Bartomeu and the other board members. The situation involving Messi prompted the resignation of all the Barcelona board members including Bartomeu.

Barcelona have since voted for another president in Joan Laporta who has previously held the position. Laporta is optimistic that Messi will stay on at the club beyond this summer. Messi is on a huge salary and he might need to take a big pay cut to sign a new Barcelona contract due to the ongoing financial crisis at the club. The Spanish La Liga giants are in debt of around €1bn.

Dani Alves previously talked about the Bartomeu-led board and how he was forced out of the club. Dani Alves and Messi were teammates at Barcelona for many years. According to him, Messi belongs to Barcelona and the club is the only one he must play for. The Brazilian player said he has already informed Messi about that.

Messi has been linked with a lot of clubs in the past weeks and months. French giants Paris Saint Germain (PSG) are interested in the little magician according to various reports in the media. Apart from PSG, Manchester City and Inter Milan have also been mentioned as possible destinations for him.