The contract has not been signed yet, but everything can still be resolved.

Lionel Messi will be playing in MLS in the upcoming season. Or is it not definite yet? In early June, "Inter Miami" already announced the transfer of the legendary Argentinean on social media. But it's more complicated. Messi still needs to sign a contract with the new club!

MLS admitted that "Inter Miami's" announcement of Messi's transfer was a surprise. In their statement, the league's management noted that the work to finalize the official agreement with Lionel is still ongoing. The main reason for the delay is the complexity of the contract. In MLS, players sign contracts not with clubs but with the league itself. Messi's agreement includes a percentage of the revenue from new subscribers of Apple TV+ (the official MLS broadcaster), Adidas product sales, and other marketing activities.

Moreover, Messi's contract implies that Leo can acquire any MLS club at the end of his career. Aligning all the details of the agreement takes time. It doesn't mean the transfer will fall through, but "Inter Miami" still rushed with the announcement.

If Messi officially becomes a player for a club in Florida, he will earn $150 million for a 2.5-year contract (plus a one-year option). The MLS transfer window opens on July 5, so Leo can only debut for his new club after that. Messi's first game for "Inter Miami" will likely occur on July 21. On that day, a match will be held as part of the League Cup against "Cruz Azul."

By the way, Messi wasn't particularly eager to go to the United States. His priority remained with "Barcelona," but due to the financial problems of the Catalan club, the Argentinean decided to move to MLS. "Everything is fine. Initially, I had different plans. But I am satisfied with the final decision and excited about the upcoming challenge. It was an important step, and I understood that," Leo noted.

What else contributes to the delay in signing the contract?

The deal is also affected by internal issues within "Inter Miami." The club must prepare to have one of its roster's best players in history. For example, the team's stadium accommodates only 18,000 people and needs renovation (the management is already working on this issue). Additionally, "Inter" has modest expenses for travel, hotels, charter flights, and so on. Logistics need to be adjusted for Leo. "The presence of the greatest player in the world is significant for our league and the football ecosystem in the United States. Messi will come to our country to win trophies and make a difference. I think we, together with our league partners, should take advantage of this moment," stated Jorge Mas, the president of "Inter Miami." The club's leader also announced that three to five new players would reinforce the team after Messi's transfer. We have previously discussed the current situation of "Inter Miami," but to recap briefly: the most expensive player in the squad is forward Josef Martinez (€4 million), and the club is currently in last place, 15th, in the MLS Eastern Conference.

To address the situation, in addition to Messi, Gerardo Martino is joining "Inter Miami." According to journalist Cesar Luis Merlo, the Argentinean coach will take over the team in early July after resolving work visa issues in the United States. Messi has previously played under Martino's guidance at "Barcelona" (2013-2014) and the Argentine national team (2014-2016). Leo referred to Gerardo as one of his childhood idols.

We await the official announcement of Messi's transfer to "Inter Miami." It's an extraordinary situation when an entire league works to formalize a player's contract. A player who, in terms of scale, surpasses all MLS clubs.

22.06.2023