Inter Miami owner hopeful the club will sign Lionel Messi

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 10 Jun 2021 08:32 BST

Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas says the Major League Soccer side still has aspirations of signing Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi at some point.

Messi remains a Barcelona player for now, but his current contract with the club runs out at the end of this month.

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Over the past year the Argentine has become disillusioned with life at Camp Nou both on and off the pitch, with the Blaugrana only having one Copa del Rey title to show for their efforts over the past two seasons.

Messi asked to leave last summer only for his request to be denied, but he could yet head for the exit as a free agent.

Talk of a departure has quietened in recent months, with Messi expected to stay with Barcelona for the moment.

In the future, though, he could be bound for the United States if Mas and Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham get their way.

“David and I have been working really hard, we have aspirations of bringing the best players here and Leo Messi is a generational player, arguably the best player of all time,” Mas told the Miami Herald.

“I am optimistic Messi will play in an Inter Miami shirt because I think it will complete the legacy of the greatest player in our generation and will meet with the ambitions of the owners of Inter Miami to build a world-class team.”

Messi in the MLS?

If reports from Spain are to be believed, Messi will stay at Barcelona until the summer of 2023 before moving to MLS.

The player himself has even stated a desire to ply his trade in the United States in the future, telling La Sexta:

"I always said that I have the impression that I would like to enjoy the experience of living in the United States, of living in that league and that life, but if it happens or not I don't know."

Barcelona president Joan Laporta said in a press conference last week that the club were close to presenting Messi with the offer of a new contract.

Things are currently complicated for Barca financially as they are in mountains of debt, with Messi's contract effectively crippling them each season.