Lionel Messi says he’s going to MLS club Inter Miami

CNN
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[Breaking news update, published at 4:00 p.m. ET]

Lionel Messi said Wednesday that he’s going to join the Major League Soccer club Inter Miami.

“I made the decision that I am going to Miami. I still haven’t closed it one hundred percent. I’m missing some things but we decided to continue my journey there,” the seven-time world player of the year said in an interview posted by Spanish outlets SPORT and Mundo Deportivo.

Earlier Wednesday, the CEO and managing owner of Inter Miami tweeted a cryptic picture of a No. 10 shirt with a last name partially revealed – showing just the last two letters, “SI.”

CNN has reached out to MLS, Inter Miami, Messi’s representative and David Beckham – who is part of Inter Miami’s ownership team.

[Previous story, published at 1:01 p.m. ET]

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi is in discussions to join Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami, according to reports by the BBC and The Athletic.

There has been speculation around Messi’s next move since he announced his departure from French side Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), playing his last game for the club on Sunday.

The BBC’s report, by football reporter Guillem Balague, said Messi was set to turn down an offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.

CNN has reached out to MLS, Inter Miami, Messi’s representative and David Beckham – who is part of Inter Miami’s ownership team – but had not received a reply by the time of publication.

There had been speculation Messi, who won the World Cup with Argentina in December, would move to Saudi Arabia, where he has business ties.

Messi left Barcelona in tears in 2021 after financial mismanagement at the club, which was exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, meant it was unable to offer its talisman a new contract.

He went on to win two Ligue 1 titles in his two seasons at PSG, but was unable to help the club win the Champions League for the first time in its history.

Messi’s time at the club ended acrimoniously after PSG suspended him for taking an unauthorized trip abroad to Saudi Arabia, for which he later apologized.

Before his two-season stint with PSG, Messi spent 17 trophy-laden years at Barcelona, where he turned from schoolboy to sporting legend.

Earlier this week, his father and agent, Jorge Messi, said his son’s preferred move would be a return to Barcelona.