MLS could be on the brink of arguably the biggest acquisition in its history.
Inter Miami CF have reportedly entered into advanced discussions to bring Lionel Messi to the club before or when his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires next summer, per The Athletic’s David Ornstein.
PSG will reportedly push hard to extend Messi’s contract. The 35-year-old legend has also been linked to a return to the club that made him famous, Barcelona.
However, per Ornstein, Inter Miami could now be the favorite to land Messi, to the point that the club expects him to sign there in the coming months after multiple years of courtship.
Jorge and Jose Mas — the brothers who co-own Inter Miami with David Beckham — have been in discussions with Messi’s father, Jorge, about a potential transfer.
All of this said, these conversations are paused and are not expected to continue until at least after the World Cup is over. They may not pick up again until early 2023, when Messi is able to sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club.
A move to Inter Miami would make sense for the Argentine national, who already owns a property there.
At $120 million, Messi is the second-highest-paid soccer player of 2022, trailing only PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe ($128M), per Forbes.
Since beginning play in 2020, Inter Miami has quickly risen in value, coming in at $585 million — good for 10th in MLS, per Sportico.
