According to French outlet L’Équipe, Barcelona President Joan Laporta has engaged in discussions with his counterpart at Inter Miami, David Beckham. The proposed arrangement involves Inter Miami acquiring the Argentine superstar on a free transfer and subsequently loaning him to Barcelona.
Under this contract, Inter Miami would assume partial responsibility for Messi’s salary, enabling Barcelona to register the Argentine forward to compete in La Liga without encountering financial fair play obstacles. This strategy also presents an opportunity for Chairman Beckham to make headlines by orchestrating the biggest deal in Inter Miami’s brief history.
Beckham, one of the four co-owners of Inter Miami, founded the team in 2018, and they joined Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2020. The American league has previously attracted numerous football icons such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney, Thierry Henry, Kaka, Andrea Pirlo, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, David Villa, and Beckham himself.
It is anticipated that Messi would play for Barcelona on loan for one year before moving to the United States, where he and the Argentine national team are set to defend their Copa America title in the summer of 2024.
In Messi’s homeland, TyC Sports journalist Cesar Luis Merlo reported that Inter Miami has officially made an offer to Messi. However, this report dismisses the possibility of Barcelona seeking a loan agreement with the Argentine star.
Nevertheless, various sources assert that the 1987-born forward will finalize his future in the coming days, following his final game with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) against Clermont Foot at Parc des Princes on June 3rd.
As reported by Barca Blaugranes, Messi has set a 10-day deadline for Barcelona to confirm their ability to bring him back to Camp Nou. This does not mean that the Argentine star demands a contract within the next 10 days but rather he desires the club to act swiftly in response to the requirements set by La Liga.
The Catalan giants have reportedly submitted a “feasibility plan” to La Liga, outlining their steps for the 2023-2024 season, including the acquisition of Messi, with hopes for approval from the organizing body next week.
La Liga has urged Barcelona to reduce their spending by $200 million, a target they have partially achieved by parting ways with Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique, and Jordi Alba. However, due to the renovations at Camp Nou, the club’s revenue will decrease by $50 million while playing at Montjuic.
If the proposed plan is approved, Barcelona will proceed with registering new contracts for midfielder Gavi and defender Ronald Araujo, prioritizing the signing of Messi. The Argentine superstar has requested to wear the number 10 jersey, currently held by Ansu Fati. The possibility of Barcelona selling a Spanish forward to make room for Messi and improve their financial position is not ruled out.
In early May, Spanish media reported that Messi received a season salary offer of $400 million from Al Hilal, the most successful club in the Saudi Pro League with 18 titles. French news agency AFP also confirmed Messi’s impending departure from PSG on a free transfer this summer and his “completed” move to Al Hilal. However, Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, denied the agreement with Al Hilal and emphasized that Messi’s future will only be determined after the conclusion of the 2022-2023 season.
