Gerard Pique tips Barcelona midfielder Pedri to become best player in the world

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Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique believes Spain midfielder Pedri can become the best player in the world.

The 35-year-old has seen some of the club’s greatest players rise through the ranks since he returned to Catalunya from Manchester United in 2008.

But he was glowing in his praise of 19-year-old Pedri who has already established himself as one of Barcelona’s most important players.

Speaking to former teammate Gary Neville on The Overlap, Pique was asked which current young player he believes will go on to become the best in the world.

“I think Pedri has a lot of chances,” he replied, before adding: “Gavi also is very, very good for his age. We have great talents here in Barcelona right now.

“They have to grow and they will be better, but right now they are still very good.”

Pedri played 52 times for Barcelona last season before being selected as part of Luis Enrique’s Spain squad for the European Championships.

He then started all six of Spain’s games at the Euros before they were eliminated in the semi-finals by eventual winners Italy.

After starting the season in Barcelona’s starting line-up for the 2021/22 campaign, Pedri then suffered four months on the sideline with a hamstring injury.

He then came back into the team at the end of January, but has been ruled out again since mid-April due to another hamstring problem.

Barcelona are currently second in the La Liga table, two points ahead of Sevilla with four games remaining. But they cannot catch Spanish champions Real Madrid who clinched the title last weekend with a 4-0 win over Espanyol.