Inter Miami CF president Jorge Mas revealed that it took three years of negotiations to bring superstar Lionel Messi to the American Major League Soccer club.
Following his two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, Messi stated this month that he will join Inter Miami as a free agent.
Messi, 36, intended to return to Barcelona, which he left in 2021 due to the city’s financial difficulties. He also declined a lucrative deal to join Al-Hilal from Saudi Arabia’s PIF fund.
Mas has finally divulged the details of the negotiations.
“In 2019 [when Messi was still at Barcelona], we started thinking about how we could bring him,” Mas told the Spanish newspaper El Pais, according to ABC News.
“I worked on it for three years, a year and a half intensely.” There were numerous discussions with [Messi’s father and agent] Jorge. [Inter Miami co-owner] David [Beckham] only talked to Leo about football since he was a player.”
Messi is expected to sign a contract extension with Inter Miami through December 2025, with an option year in 2026. According to Mas, the striker will earn “between £50 million and $60 million per year.”
