Lionel Messi 'Close' To Signing Pre-Season Contract With Inter Miami; Here's What We Know

Lionel Messi is reportedly close to signing a deal with Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami at the end of the 2022-23 season.

Messi, who is currently contracted with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), has entered the final year of his contract. His deal does have the option to extend the contract by another season. But if Messi doesn't trigger the extension clause, he will be free to agree to a pre-season contract with any club in January. Inter Miami are preparing to make Messi the highest-paid player in MLS history, reported The Times.

Inter Miami Co-owner David Beckham has reportedly played a key part in Messi's supposed decision to join the club. Beckham and Messi share a cordial bond through their association with Adidas.

Meanwhile, Inter Miami are also hoping to further reinforce their side by signing more players who could complement Messi's skills. Two players who are at the top of Inter Miami's transfer list, apart from Messi, are his former FC Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez and Cesc Fabregas.

Fabregas, who is currently playing for Italian Serie B club Como, played with Messi at Camp Nou for three seasons before moving to Chelsea in 2014. In the same summer window, Barcelona signed Suarez from Liverpool FC. Messi formed one of the most lethal front-three attacks at Barcelona, along with Neymar and Suarez, between 2014 and 2017.

Inter Miami are also looking to land Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets, who is also the current captain of the Catalan club.

PSG, however, will do everything to convince Messi to stay. But the South American player already has a home in Miami and had previously said he would like to play in the U.S. at some point in the future.

Without a doubt, Messi would be the biggest star to ever play in the MLS even though the league had attracted top talents nearing the end of their careers in the past, including Beckham, Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney, Andrea Pirlo, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard.

After a slow start to his new life in Paris, Messi has really bounced back in his second season at Parc des Princes. The former Barcelona star has netted 12 goals and 14 assists for PSG in 19 games in all competitions this season.

Messi is currently in Qatar leading Argentina in the World Cup. Following a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in their campaign opener, Messi and his team defeated Mexico 2-0 in their next Group C game. In their final group game, Argentina will take on Poland on Wednesday.