Head to Florida. Lionel Messi has opted for the sun of the “Sunshine State” rather than that of Riyadh or Barcelona to continue, and perhaps end, his prodigious career. In any case, this is what numerous international media are reporting on Wednesday, as well as Guillem Balagué, Spanish journalist and biographer of the player. Free after two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, the 2022 world champion, who will turn 36 on June 24, must join Inter Miami.
Saudi Arabia had yet offered the equivalent of an Airbus A380 and an aircraft carrier to bring the sevenfold Golden Ball to Al-Hilal. But, despite his status as a Saudi tourism ambassador, Messi and his family never seemed too keen on spending a few years in the desert, unlike Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
And a return to his dear Catalan fold, two years after the tears during the separation? Again on Monday, “dad Jorge”, passing through Barcelona, hinted that this choice was the son’s preference. But the father and agent of the Pulga also indicated that his meeting with President Joan Laporta had not resulted in “nothing concrete”.
Corentin Jean, Messi’s new teammate
Barça remains strangled by its more than precarious financial health, and to repatriate its divine child, it first had to sell, after having already reduced its payroll with the departures of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. According to the Catalan daily SportJorge Messi would have even tried, during negotiations with Inter Miami and Al-Hilal, to include a clause allowing him to evolve for a season with the Blaugrana, before joining a more “exotic” championship.
The Argentinian will therefore have happy days in David Beckham’s club, where he should play alongside a Frenchman: striker Corentin Jean, who landed a year ago from Lens.