Barcelona sensation Lionel Messi insists that we should all keep an eye on Palermo's Javier Pastore.
The Argentine is making a name for himself in Serie A after less than two seasons in the Italian top-flight.
And fresh from scoring a hat-trick in the Sicilian derby against Catania, Pastore has now won the praise of his international teammate.
"You can see he's tough, he's physically fit and he's going to go far – I'm convinced of it," Messi told FIFA.com.
Barcelona sensation Lionel Messi insists that we should all keep an eye on Palermo's Javier Pastore.
The Argentine is making a name for himself in Serie A after less than two seasons in the Italian top-flight.
And fresh from scoring a hat-trick in the Sicilian derby against Catania, Pastore has now won the praise of his international teammate.
"You can see he's tough, he's physically fit and he's going to go far – I'm convinced of it," Messi told FIFA.com.
"He's come on leaps and bounds at Palermo.
"I didn't know much about him when he played for Huracan, but I got to see his quality first-hand at the World Cup, even though he didn't play much.
"We played alongside each other [in 8 October's 1-0 friendly defeat] in Japan and we struck up a good understanding."
Pastore, part of Argentina's South Africa 2010 party, has admirers all over Europe and he's recently been linked with a move to Barcelona.
However, Rosanero chief Maurizio Zamparini is adamant that the fantasista will remain at the Barbera until at least 2012.