Pablo Zabaleta urges Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi to join Manchester City

PABLO ZABALETA will give pal Lionel Messi a warm welcome if he ever comes to the Premier League – by buying him a bag of fish and chips.

COME TO CITY: Pablo Zabaleta has urged his Argentina team-mate Lionel Messi to join Barcelona

The Manchester City star has been a big mate of Messi’s since their early days together in Argentina’s Under-20s squad.

And in Zabaleta’s three years at Espanyol in La Liga he and Messi were the boys about town in Barcelona, living the high life as young single blokes.

And if Messi ever contemplates quitting the Nou Camp, he could count on Zabaleta, 29, to show him the sights – and give him a guided tour to the nearest fish supper bar.

Mmm, Messi in Manchester. Now that would be the greatest ever treat for City fans and food for thought with Barcelona’s arrival at The Etihad on Tuesday night drawing ever nearer.

So ahead of the mouth-watering Champions League football fest,Zabaleta was asked if he thinks we will ever see Messi play in the Premier League.

And the City defender said: “You always expect the best players to be in the Premier League because it means they will make this league even better.

I'LL SHOW YOU AROUND TOWN: Zabaleta would welcome Messi to Manchester with open arms

“And every single player in the world always wants to come to the Premier League. So we will see.

“But I would like to show him around Manchester. Maybe I could take him out to Didsbury and we could have some fish and chips. I think he would like that.”

Certainly, Messi, 26, knows everything about life in a Sky Blue shirt because on his first free days as a City player, Zabaleta jetted back to Barcelona and it was at Messi’s home where a full-scale discussion about the merits of his move to Manchester were discussed.

Zabaleta said: “When I went to his house everybody was talking about the new owners, the big money and City.

“I am a big friend of Leo and he has not changed at all.

“He is quiet, a family man who loves his music.”

Zabaleta knows the difficulties the City team will face in containing the world class star.

And he said: “When you play against a player like this you can have a great game for 90 minutes and in one minute you make a mistake.

“It is a great test but we have a team that believes it is capable of winning many things and we have a lot of confidence.”