Lionel Messi is set to make a huge move to Major League Soccer when his contract at Paris Saint-Germain comes to an end.
That's according to rumours and reports coming out today saying that the Flea is in talks with Inter Miami, one of the league's newest franchises. The club, who are owned by David Beckham, have already played host to Messi's countryman Gonzalo Higuain, who recently retired.
With Messi a free agent as of next summer, he now has a choice as to whether he will return to Barcelona, extend his stay in Paris or head to the United States.
Where will Lionel Messi play next?
According to David Ornstein of the Athletic, Major League Soccer expect Messi to to be at Inter Miami next season.
Messi's father and representative, Jorge, has been in discussions with the Florida-based outfit. Despite Barcelona interested in bringing their prodigal son back to the Camp Nou and PSG pushing to end his contract, Ornstein claims Miami is the "most advanced of those options".
"Discussions between the two parties have been going on for a couple of years and there is increasing confidence that the proposed transfer will materialise," he says, in what seems like the biggest indication yet that Messi will head stateside when his time in Paris is up.
Messi would undoubtedly be one of the biggest names that has ever moved to the league, alongside his prospective employer, Beckham, who moved to LA Galaxy at the height of his fame in the noughties.
No decision is expected to be made until after the World Cup but part of the lure of Messi will be for the Argentine to make an impact on football in the USA. The nation are co-hosting the World Cup in four years alongside Mexico and Canada, making any deal for the player potentially hugely lucrative for everyone involved.
Messi is able to sign a pre-contract agreement from January.
Barcelona are said to also be fighting to re-sign Messi. According to Marca in Spain, Barça are planning to re-recruit their former talisman as soon as January, now that they are more financially secure.
"He is putting in elite-level performances every week at the moment, so why would he leave mid-season?" Eurosport questions, though. "To make things worse, Barcelona didn’t even qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League. Messi could go on to win that trophy with PSG this season. Laporta’s plan seems a bit too ambitious."
