Lionel Messi (36, Paris Saint-Germain) has found his next destination. It’s not Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal or FC Barcelona, but the American Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami.
The BBC reported on July 7 (KST), “Argentine legend Messi is leaving ‘French champions’ PSG to join American club Miami. He is set to turn down a huge offer from Al-Hilal,” the BBC reported.
“The deal with Inter Miami also includes collaborations with brands such as Adidas and Apple,” the outlet continued, “This is the first time the Barcelona icon will play outside of Europe. “He wanted to stay in Europe for another season, but he didn’t get a satisfactory offer. He had a choice between Inter Miami and Al-Hilal.”
In the end, it looks like Messi’s return to his hometown team, Barcelona, is off the table. He was forced to leave Barcelona in tears two years ago due to the club’s financial problems and dreamed of a “royal return” this summer when his contract with PSG ended. His father and agent, Jorge Messi, recently publicly declared that his son wanted to join Barcelona, raising the possibility.
However, once again, Barcelona’s financial problems have stood in the way. According to the BBC, “Messi was keen to return to Barcelona this summer. But La Liga’s financial fair play (FFP) rules, which come into force next season, have scuppered ambitious plans to bring him back.”
With a return to Barcelona out of the question, Messi’s next move was to the U.S. He could have gone to Saudi Arabia, where Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nasr) and Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad) play. Al-Hilal, backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund (PIF), reportedly offered Messi a staggering €400 million ($559 million) a year.메이저놀이터
However, Messi chose to head to the United States over the chance to become the world’s highest-paid athlete. “Messi decided to move to Inter for a number of reasons, including lifestyle and a contract with a big brand beyond soccer,” the BBC reports, adding that he already owns a home in Miami, which he has now put up for rent.
Inter Miami is famously owned by David Beckham. This season, the club is in last place in the MLS Eastern Conference with just five points from 16 games. Inter have previously signed Gonzalo Higuain and Blaise Matuidi and are reportedly targeting Sergio Busquets as well as Messi this summer.