Inter Miami vs Barcelona for Lionel Messi: Will the Beckham-owned MLS club win race to sign PSG star?

Major Soccer League (MLS) club Inter Miami FC is reportedly growing 'increasingly confident' of signing Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Lionel Messi next summer when his contract expires. Will the Ligue 1 champions let go of their in-form star, and will Barcelona give up hope on resigning their club legend?

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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Lionel Messi's future is one of football's most discussed topics today as the Argentinian icon enters the final year of his contract with the Ligue 1 champions. Amidst rumours of a sensational comeback to Barcelona, speculations that the David Beckham co-owned Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami FC are keen on bringing the 35-year-old legend to the United States gather steam.

In June 2023, Messi will become a free agent if the Parisian club do not sign a contract extension. Despite making it abundantly clear that his current focus is on the upcoming Qatar World Cup 2022, rumours of his transfer refuse to die. Barcelona has made their intent to re-sign the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner clear, just a year after mishandling his exit from the Catalan club. President Joan Laporta is keen on correcting his mistake and giving the legendary striker the farewell he deserves at Camp Nou.

At the same time, PSG is said to be gearing up to extend Messi's contract and given the Argentinian superstar's sublime form this season, the Parisian club would most certainly be in a hurry. Reports have stated that the Qatari-owned team is trying to seal a deal with the 35-year-old icon before he departs for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which starts on November 20.

However, Barcelona is not the only team trying to sign Messi. According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami FC is growing 'increasingly confident' of signing the PSG forward next summer when his contract expires. Co-owned by former England captain and Manchester United legend David Beckham, the club has had eyes on Messi for a while now. The legendary forward himself once admitted that he would love to play in the USA in the future.

According to the report, discussions have been taking place between Inter Miami FC and Messi's entourage for the last two years, which has given the MLS club immense confidence that a move from Parc des Princes could materialise. Jorge and Jos Mas, the club's co-owners, are said to be doing all the talking and hope to close on a sweet deal in the coming months, with several conversations reportedly held with the iconic player's father and agent, Jorge Messi.

No discussions will occur until after the World Cup 2022 and early January. Messi will be able to take a call on his future only once he returns from Qatar, and at that point, he will be able to sign a pre-contract with a team of his choice. The Barcelona legend is said to already possess a luxurious property in Miami, making the city a "source of attraction" for Messi and his family. Therefore, Inter Miami FC is in a solid position to recruit the Argentinian legend when his deal with PSG expires. However, Barcelona and the Paris giants are anticipated to fight tooth and nail for his services.