Lionel Messi ‘WILL move to Inter Miami and has chosen MLS over an emotional return to Barcelona

Lionel Messi, the reigning World Cup champion and Argentina captain, has reportedly decided to join Inter Miami.

According to Guillem Balague, Messi has made the decision to head to the South Florida-based club.

That follows on reporting from L’Equipe this morning, that said the South Florida-based club was ‘on pole’ for Messi’s signature after the Argentine received formal offers from Saudi Arabia.

There was also a flirtation with a move back to Barcelona, which Jorge Messi indicated would be the preferred destination. However, considering the Catalan club’s financial instability, it was not likely that a move to bring back their all-time leading scorer would come to fruition.

This move should bring some hope to a desperate Miami side as the Herons sit dead last in the Eastern Conference and third-bottom in the league overall.

Lionel Messi has reportedly decided to join Inter Miami after departing Paris Saint-Germain 

This is a major coup for David Beckham’s team, who fought off offers from Saudi Arabia 

The agreement to join Miami comes as the Argentina national team plans to build a training facility in South Florida.

As for a Saudi Arabia move, L’Equipe said Messi and his wife Antonella Roccuzzo did not ‘see themselves settling with their three boys in the Gulf desert.’ 

When it comes to Barcelona, Antonella and Leo still remained interested in returning to the Spanish city.

But L’Equipe said a ‘persistent mistrust’ of Barca president Joan Laporta was at least one of the reasons why it wasn’t possible.

The offer to move to Saudi Arabia came at a time where the Public Investment Fund of the country has started to throw wild sums of money around to attract older top European footballers.

Just earlier this week, it was announced that Al-Ittihad would sign Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema as Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante is closing in on a transfer to the desert kingdom as well.

Messi’s rejection of the Saudi Pro League’s offer should be seen as a setback – as the Saudis offered him billions of dollars and the chance to renew his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo.

This is Major League Soccer’s second major signing of a world-class player that would bring lots of attention to their competition – mirroring the same move Beckham made in 2007.

Messi and his wife Antonella Roccuzzo reportedly don’t want to settle in Saudi Arabia

MLS has an offer involving deals with multiple other brands – including Adidas and Apple

As a result, MLS’s offer to Messi has included much more than just money through a club contract. ‘The league has gotten very creative with all of this,’ one stakeholder told The Athletic of a potential deal to land Messi. ‘Everything is on the table.’

The deal is said to involve contributions from two of MLS’s biggest commercial partners: Apple TV, their current broadcast rightsholder, and Adidas, MLS’s apparel sponsor.

MLS and Apple reportedly have discussed offering Messi a share of the revenue generated by new subscribers attracted to the platform’s streaming package, MLS Season Pass, by the star’s arrival in the States. 

Apple is also working on a four-part docuseries that recounts Messi’s four World Cup appearances.

Meanwhile, the report added that Adidas is offering Messi a profit-sharing agreement with the sportswear giant, which would involve the player receiving a cut of any increase in Adidas’ profits resulting from his involvement in MLS.

Messi and Adidas have a long-standing partnership – with the Argentine signing with the German sportswear brand back in 2006. He eventually inked a lifetime footwear deal with them in 2017. 

There are also rumors that Messi will have the same option in his contract that Beckham was granted allowing the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner to purchase a stake in an MLS club at a pre-set price.

One potential issue for Inter Miami is where they might play their matches now that arguably the greatest player of all time is heading to their club.

DRV PNK Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale only holds 18,000 fans which could lead Inter to make plans to hold their matches elsewhere – such as the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium

Lionel Messi’s final days at PSG were fraught as fans continued to jeer him on the pitch

Inter Miami has struggled for years to build a soccer-specific stadium in downtown Miami. However, a 25,000 seat venue is scheduled to be completed by 2025.

In the meantime, the club has played its matches at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale – an 18,000 seat venue located 30 miles north of downtown.

With Messi’s arrival, the need for a bigger venue might force Inter to consider other options – such as the Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins and the University of Miami’s American football teams. 

Messi’s departure comes at a time where his relationship with his club, PSG, is arguably at its worst.

The fan’s supporters have been booing Messi’s name when he’s announced as well as whenever he has touched the ball in some matches.

There is greater turmoil within the Parisian club – with manager Christophe Galtier sacked after a single season and rumors suggesting that Neymar might want out.

Paris Saint-Germain won the Ligue 1 title on the final day by one point over title rivals Lens, in spite of a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Clermont Foot.