Pique: Barcelona hope to 'seduce' Messi to stay

Gerard Pique hasn't given up hope that Lionel Messi will stay at Barcelona despite continued speculation the Argentine will leave when his contract expires in June.

Messi demanded Barca to terminate his deal in the summer but, following a 10-day standoff, he withdrew his request to avoid a legal battle with the only club he's represented in his professional career.

However, links with moves to Manchester City or other leading European outfits haven't relented.

"You will have to ask Leo, I don't know," Pique replied when asked if Messi would remain at Barcelona during a question and answer session for the CRIS Cancer Foundation, as quoted by ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens.

"We hope he stays. It's a personal decision. We will see. But for as long as he's wearing the Barca shirt, there is always hope. We hope to seduce him to stay for many more years."

Barcelona will attempt to open contract negotiations with Messi when a new president is elected at the end of January, according to Marsden and Llorens. The early favorites to succeed Josep Maria Bartomeu as club chief are Joan Laporta and Victor Font, with the latter launching an ambitious campaign to reunite Messi, Xavi, and Pep Guardiola at the Camp Nou.

Messi is expected to feature in Sunday's La Liga visit from Osasuna. He was rested for Tuesday's 4-0 win over Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League group stage.