Report: MLS Clubs Discuss Collaborative Plan To Bring Lionel Messi To U.S.A.
Mar 27, 2023, 3:06 PM | Updated: 3:07 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – Major League Soccer clubs discussed a collaborative plan that would bring legendary player Lionel Messi to the United States-based league, according to Sports.es.
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On Monday, March 27, Albert Masnou of Sports.es detailed MLS’s plan to land Messi.
The report said that Major League Soccer’s plan would see every team in the league pay a portion of the current Paris Saint-Germain star. Messi, 35, is set to be out of contract later in 2023.
*Translated by Google Translate
“In a recent meeting between the owners of the clubs held about six weeks ago, an agreement was reached to try to compete for Leo Messi, the best player in the history of football, to continue his career in his competition. And the chosen formula is unique, how could it be otherwise to sign the current world champion,” Masnou wrote*. “The MLS clubs decided that they were all going to pay a part of Leo Messi’s salary so that he could sign for MLS. Everyone pays a part of the salary and Leo was going to decide where to play: if he wants to do it in Miami, if he wants to go to Los Angeles or if he prefers to live in New York.”
🐐 | #Messi
📌 La fórmula que la MLS se inventa para fichar a Messi
💸 Miami no tiene margen para fichar a Leo Messi. Aunque el jugador argentino llegue con la carta de libertad
✍️ Albert Masnouhttps://t.co/oMZ7GlGpE1
— Diario SPORT (@sport) March 27, 2023
In response to Masnou’s report, UK’s Mirror reported that Messi would “rather remain in Europe” and that “PSG have already offered Messi new terms, while Barcelona have a desire for him to re-sign.”
“Irrespective of the MLS plan, sources indicate that Messi would rather remain in Europe,” Alan Smith of Mirror reported. “Messi has remained tight-lipped around his future but PSG’s latest Champions League failure may weaken their case. He has 17 goals and 17 assists for the French giants so far this season.”
If Messi happens to choose #RSL do you bench Dami?
Would rather he stays away tbf https://t.co/YkSeDIG03v
— Tom Hackett (@TomCantHackett) March 27, 2023
Messi owns an option to extend his stay with PSG by the end of the year.
In 2020 while playing for FC Barcelona, the Argentine great discussed his desire to play in the United States one day.
“I would like to play in the United States someday, it’s always been one of my dreams,” Messi said. “But I don’t know if it will happen.” Messi was reportedly close to joining MLS’s Inter Miami on a record-breaking deal in 2022.
Leo Messi to La Sexta: “I would like to play in the United States someday, it’s always been one of my dreams… but I don't know if it will happen!”. 🇺🇸 #Messi @UCLonCBSSports
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 27, 2020
In Messi’s senior career, the striker has played for Barcelona and PSG. Since 2004, Messi has scored 493 goals in 569 appearances. The forward has also represented his home country of Argentina and scored 99 goals in 173 international matches since 2005. In 2022, Messi helped Argentina win the FIFA World Cup. Messi has won a record seven Ballon d’Or awards, being recognized as the world’s top player, in his career.
