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Lionel Messi may be coming to MLS, but his agent denied a report suggesting it will certainly happen.
According to Alex Candal of DirectTV Sports (h/t Front Office Sports), the Argentina star will purchase 35 percent of Inter Miami in 2023 when his contract expires with Paris Saint-Germain as part of a deal that will see him play for the team as well.
The stake in the team is said to be worth more than $200 million.
However, Messi’s agent told Le Parisien (h/t TMZ Sports), “Leo has not yet decided on his future. And if Leo Messi has crossed paths with David Beckham in the last few hours, it is only as part of PSG’s stay in Doha where the former English midfielder plays a role as an ambassador for the next World Cup in Qatar.”
That Beckham, who starred for Manchester United, Real Madrid and England’s national team before joining the Los Angeles Galaxy in MLS, was mentioned is notable since he is one of Miami’s co-owners.
Beckham increased his ownership stake with the franchise in 2021.
Other international stars who have played in MLS in the latter portion of their careers include Wayne Rooney, Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Yet Messi would be the biggest name of all as arguably the greatest soccer player in the sport’s history.
The 34-year-old’s resume includes seven Ballons d’Or, four UEFA Champions League titles, 10 La Liga titles, two FIFA Men’s Player of the Year awards and two UEFA Men’s Player of the Year awards.
He played for the Barcelona first team from 2004-05 through 2020-21 before financial issues at the Spanish club led to him leaving as a free agent and joining PSG for the 2021-22 campaign on a two-year contract.
He has won the league title in his first year in Paris but fell short of winning the club’s first Champions League title, which was likely its primary aim in bringing Messi to the club.
Tom Sanderson of Forbes noted Messi said in 2020, “I always had the dream of being able to enjoy and have the experience of living in the United States, experience what the league there is like.”
Inter Miami would immediately become one of, if not the biggest draw in the league with the star power of Messi.
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