Dan Gosling has revealed he always asked former team-mate Hatem Ben Arfa why he was at Newcastle United and not Real Madrid or Barcelona.
Gosling endured a disappointing four-year spell with the Magpies after signing for Chris Hughton on a free transfer in the summer of 2010.
The former Everton midfielder arrived at St James' Park amid a gruelling rehabilitation programme for a knee ligament injury.
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Hughton had been replaced by Alan Pardew by the time Gosling was able to make his comeback, and he was afforded limited opportunities to impress before leaving at the end of his contract for Bournemouth.
Reflecting upon his time on Tyneside, the now-Watford midfielder was asked about his Magpies team-mates and the best player he lined up alongside.
For the 31-year-old, the answer was obvious and he believes the French international he had the talent to rival Lionel Messi if he had chosen to apply himself fully at the training ground on a daily basis.
Gosling told Gallowgate Shots' 'Extra Tyne' show: "I get asked a similar question quite a lot, who is the best player I've played with. The answer is always the same, Hatem Ben Arfa.
"I've always said he's on a similar level to Lionel Messi, if he wanted to be. The reason I say that, his dribbling, change of direction, the pace he's got is ridiculous.
"The things I saw on training, he'd stop the ball, face the man up and be gone. You can't defend how quick and powerful he is.
"I always used to say to him why are you here? Why are you not at Real Madrid or Barcelona with your talent? Hatem was always a relaxed guy, he was professional but didn't push himself to the limit and that's why.
"A couple of years later, he signed for PSG and I thought he's at one of the big club he should be at. Obviously he was there for a short period of time, but he got there in the end.
"It's just a shame we didn't see him more of him at the very top."
Ben Arfa delivered a number of memorable moments in black-and-white before falling out favour under Pardew, and endured a miserable loan spell at Hull City before being released.
The attacker rebuilt his reputation at Nice and earned a move to Paris Saint-Germain, but his time in the French capital and the 34-year-old remains a free agent following spells at Rennes, Valladolid and most recently with Bordeaux.
Gosling believes his former team-mate's more laidback attitude was tolerated at Newcastle as a result of his steady run of matchwinning performances.
He added: "Hatem, he didn't turn up to training and give 200%. That wasn't him and how he did things. But because he could turn up on Saturday and produce moments like he did, you would accept players like that in your team.
"They're matchwinners. Don't get me wrong, if he wasn't doing it on a Saturday, you can't have him training like he did. But because he was so good and he did turn up, what can you do?
"I would quite happily have a guy in my team winning us three points every Saturday, and I'll do an extra 2km running for that guy. No problem at all, because I know what talent he's got."
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