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Inter Miami CF owner Jorge Mas revealed that it took him three years of negotiations to bring football superstar Lionel Messi to the Major League Soccer club.
World Cup winner Messi, announced last month that he would join Inter Miami as a free agent after spending two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain.
” In 2019 [when Messi was still at Barcelona , we started thinking about how we could bring him,” Mas told Spanish newspaper El Pais. . “I dedicated three years to try and sign him, with a year and a half of intense work. There were many conversations with Messi’s father and agent, Jorge. Our co-owner, David Beckham, also spoke with Messi, only discussing football matters since he was still an active player.”
Mas also confirmed long-standing interest in surrounding Messi with players he is familiar with, including Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. He also said Miami will make “two or three” further signings but played down reports that two of Messi’s close friends — former Barca forward Luis Suarez and Argentina winger Angel Di Maria — could arrive this summer.
“I felt confident that we completed the deal at the end of May,” Mas said. “I didn’t want Messi to feel pressured. We had discussions in Barcelona, Miami, Rosario, and Doha. I even spent the entire World Cup in Qatar, watching Argentina play. The Apple contract played a significant role in finalizing the deal.”
MLS broadcast partner Apple recently announced a four-part documentary series on AppleTV+ chronicling Messi’s World Cup journey, starting from his first tournament appearance in 2006 until winning the trophy in 2022.
Messi, currently on vacation, is expected to sign a contract with Inter Miami until December 2025, with an option for an additional year in 2026. Mas confirmed that the forward will earn an annual salary between £50 million and $60 million.
Mas expressed interest in surrounding Messi with familiar players, including Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. While he mentioned that Miami would make “two or three” more signings, he downplayed reports suggesting that two of Messi’s close friends—former Barcelona forward Luis Suarez and Argentina winger Angel Di Maria—could join the team this summer.
“Suarez is under contract, and there may be complications with his release clause, so I’m unsure if that deal will materialize,” Mas said. “We have also had discussions with Di Maria, but it appears that he is close to signing with another team.”
Meanwhile, Barcelona president Joan Laporta stated that Messi’s decision not to return to the club was as result of desire for reduced pressure.
“I understand his perspective, but the two issues are separate,” Laporta told Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia. “We had an agreement with LaLiga to distribute part of our resources to Messi. It was in our viability plan, and we communicated this to Jorge Messi. However, he informed me that Leo had experienced a challenging year in Paris and desired less pressure. With our proposal, he would have continued to face high expectations, so I respect his decision.”