Lionel Messi is expected to join Inter Miami on a free transfer after the 2022 Qatar World Cup according to reports.
The summer transfer window has closed for the major European leagues, however, with an eye on a January transfer move, reports have been swirling around about Messi’s potential move to Miami.
Lionel Messi is expected to join Inter Miami on a free transfer when his Paris Saint-Germain contract ends in the summer of 2023.
Barcelona have also been linked with a move to bring the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner back to Camp Nou but it now appears he is set to head to the USA instead.
Inter Miami expects the 35-year-old to join the club in the coming months when his Paris Saint-Germain contract ends in the summer of 2023 even though the Major League Soccer club and Messi are yet to agree on a deal.
However, talks about his move to the US club are set to resume after the 2022 World Cup.
Meanwhile, the Argentine superstar had postponed all contract talks untill after the forthcoming World Cup. Hence, he is yet to seal new terms with PSG even though the French club is said to be interested in renewing his contract.
While PSG is keen to keep hold of the Argentine football legend Messi, report has it that David Beckham’s MLS outfit expects a deal for the seven-time Ballon d’Or holder which is feasible to be completed in the coming months.
Negotiations for Messi’s arrival to Inter Miami have progressed the farthest, with Jorge and Jose Mas; the brothers who co-own the MLS club alongside Beckham, leading the talks with utmost sobriety to bring Messi to the United States.
With the rush to bring Messi to Miami, the owners are said to have had several meetings with Messi’s father, Jorge who also serves as Messi’s agent. The talks are said to be moving positively that Inter Miami expect the Paris Saint-Germain forward to join them next summer.
However, that discussion has been put on hold until after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which runs from the 20th of November to December 18, 2022.
No deal has been finalized yet, but if the move becomes successful, Messi’s arrival in MLS could have a significant impact on the United States football profile like Beckham’s move to LA Galaxy did in 2007, especially with the World Cup coming to the USA in 2026.
After a tough debut season in French football, in which the 35-year-old Argentina captain managed only six Ligue 1 goals, Messi has rediscovered his form and is now scoring and assisting consistently.
Lionel Messi’s form has been rejuvenated this season, with the Argentine captain netting 12 goals in all competitions and registering 13 league assists in just 12 appearances; the fastest he has ever reached.
If the transfer materialized, Lionel Messi would undoubtedly become the MLS and Inter Miami’s most high-profile footballer of all time in a city where his family had already acquired a property.