Barcelona ace Leo Messi has sung the praises of Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann.

Griezmann is expected to join Barca in the coming days, with plans to meet his €100m buyout clause well underway.

Claims over the weekend that Messi has managed to convince Griezmann about moving to Barca with a personal phone call have been denied by his camp.

"Absolutely false and unfounded," a family relative told Mundo Deportivo.

However, after victory over Real Sociedad on Sunday, Messi was happy to admit his admiration for his potential new teammate.

He told RAC1: "I like him, it's obvious, he's the best right now, there's a lot of talk about that, I do not know how the subject will be, but we're always delighted that the best (can join us)."

Messi also insisted Griezmann's arrival wouldn't mean Luis Suarez leaving.

"He will continue (here)," added the Argentine.