Lionel Messi to Inter Miami? Argentine calls report of 2023 switch to David Beckham’s MLS club “fake news”
Lionel Messi, considered one of the greatest players to ever play the game, has suffered through a difficult first season at his new club Paris Saint-Germain, but plans for his next club move may not be too far behind.
Messi joined the French side in the summer of 2021 as a free agent after leaving Barcelona, the only club he had ever played for. With the 34-year-old’s PSG contract expiring in the summer of 2023, the Argentine star is reportedly contemplating a move to the USA.
Could one of the greatest players ever head to Major League Soccer and catapult Inter Miami on the global landscape as the new face of the team? Has David Beckham potentially secured a deal that could change the landscape and future of MLS?
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Lionel Messi will join MLS club Inter Miami in 2023 when his PSG contract ends, per @Alex_candal.
Messi has reportedly agreed to acquire 35% of Inter Miami FC — a stake estimated to be worth over $200 million. pic.twitter.com/fcaMIzOQha
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) May 17, 2022
Lionel Messi to MLS?
According to a report by Alex Candal of Argentine outlet Futbol Total DirecTV, Lionel Messi has agreed to terms of a contract with MLS side Inter Miami that will see the Argentine join in the summer of 2023.
The report states that as part of the contract, Messi will also acquire a 35 percent stake in the club, which according to Front Office Sports is worth over $200 million. There were immediate denials from Messi’s camp and Inter Miami declined to comment on the report when contacted by The Sporting News.
That reported deal harkens back to the one David Beckham signed in January of 2007 that brought the English superstar to the LA Galaxy. Beckham’s contract gave him the option to secure ownership in an MLS expansion club for the cut-rate fee of $25 million, an option which he then exercised in February of 2014. That eventually led Beckham to owning Inter Miami, which began play in 2020.
💣💣 BOMBA DE @Alex_candal 💣💣
🗣️ “Messi va a adquirir el 35% de las acciones de Inter de Miami y en el verano de 2023 se incorporará al equipo” pic.twitter.com/GtLbjtF0P5
— Futbol Total DIRECTV (@DTVTotal) May 16, 2022
Adding fuel to the fire was David Beckham’s Instagram post that happened to be published on the day the report surfaced. The former PSG star and current Inter Miami owner posted a photo of him and Messi shaking hands, with the caption, “It’s always good to catch up with the PSG family.” The photo was one of a series which showed Beckham also alongside other PSG stars Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.
Messi issues denial to Inter Miami report
But only a few hours after the initial report of a deal with Inter Miami, there were immediate denials and questions about the credibility of the report.
According to Sport in Spain, Lionel Messi’s camp has issued a strong denial, calling the report “fake news.”
“According to sources close to Messi, the player has not defined his future nor does he have a short-term plan other than staying at PSG,” the Sport article said. It goes on to state that Messi will run down his PSG contract and only then determine his next step.
While there’s precedent for MLS to give extremely high-profile players a stake in a club in exchange for playing in the U.S. for a time, a 35 percent stake would seem to be a high price to pay in exchange for Messi’s allegiance for a few seasons. But it’s also a potential creative business solution to leverage Messi’s talent and profile with the player reportedly on a salary of over $30 million per year at PSG.
While the news of a potential ownership stake is new, this isn’t the first time Messi has been linked to an MLS move, and the pattern continues to suggest the Argentine, who reportedly owns a home in South Florida, is open to playing in the United States. However, Messi’s father and agent, Jorge, has also publicly stated that the player would also be open to a return to Barcelona. So there’s plenty of challengers for MLS to compete with.
But Miami owner Jorge Mas has previously indicated his interest in acquiring Messi, telling the Miami Herald in June 2021: “Leo Messi is a generational player, arguably the best player of all time … I am optimistic Messi will play in an Inter Miami shirt because I think it will complete the legacy of the greatest player in our generation and will meet with the ambitions of the owners of Inter Miami to build a world class team.”
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Bogus report re: 35% stake of @InterMiamiCF. This is a negotiating ploy not something that has been discussed. Messi to Miami has absolutely been on the table however and with a new stadium coming, it’s not as long of a shot as many think. #InterMiamiCF #MLS
— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) May 17, 2022
Lionel Messi’s 2021-22 season at PSG
Messi spent the first 17 years of his senior career at Barcelona, amassing historic amounts of silverware, goals and individual accolades.
In the summer of 2021, Messi’s attempt to pen a new contract with Barcelona fell through due to the club’s financial constraints, and he made a stunning switch to Paris Saint-Germain. The French side had amassed a star-studded side in the hopes of winning its first Champions League, and Messi’s arrival was the crown jewel of the squad.
Unfortunately, his first season at PSG was arguably the worst of his career. Injuries kept Messi sidelined for much of the first two months, and when he eventually saw the field consistently, the season did not go as planned. The Argentine scored just 11 total goals across all competitions the entire season, and while the club ran away with the Ligue 1 title, failures in the French Cup and the Champions League meant the club missed out on its ultimate goals for the season.
The Champions League loss to Real Madrid in the Round of 16 was a painful outcome that marked their season. PSG collected a 1-0 first-leg lead at home, and scored again early in the second leg to secure a 2-0 aggregate-goal advantage, but PSG collapsed in the second half to fall 3-2 and crash out of the competition. Messi was held goal-less across his pair of 90 minute performances.
