Messi the best in history, says Arda

The Turkey winger can't wait to get started at Camp Nou and named the two Barcelona stars he is looking forward to playing alongside the most

New Barcelona signing Arda Turan says he can't wait to play alongside Lionel Messi - a player he has described as "the best ever" - and his idol Andres Iniesta.

 The Turkey international completed a €41 million move to Camp Nou from Atletico Madrid on Monday after a four-year spell at the Vicente Calderon which saw him claim five trophies.
Arda says he is now ready to take the next step and feels that his transfer is reward for all of his hard work in the capital.

"Messi is simply the best ever, it's an honour to wear the same shirt and play alongside him. My idol was always Maradona but the current player that I idolise is Iniesta," he is quoted as saying by AS.
"Being part of Barcelona means a lot. It is my dream, a reward for the work that I have culminated through my career. It means everything.

"I’m ready for the challenge of playing at Barca. I think a lot about my possibilities and those of my team-mates. I’m sure they will help me adapt.

"Clearly Barca do things differently to other clubs. As players, these values, on and off the pitch, are the systems, the aspects, the style of play…In short, the club is a team on and off the pitch.
"My goals are not individual but that of the team, these players and the system. I’m sure I can do more and improve my stats. The important thing is to integrate into the team and the system of Luis Enrique."

However, Arda could still return to Atletico if the winner of Barcelona's presidential election opts not to give the transfer the green light, with candidate Agusti Benedito claiming the deal is a huge problem for the club.