Lionel Messi set for Inter Miami debut on July 21, maybe joined by old Barcelona pals as owner vows MLS can be a top-2 league
- Miami owner Jorge Mas says first game likely to be against Mexico’s Cruz Azul, while several of Messi’s past and present teammates are also linked to his club
- Messi can help make MLS ‘one of the top two leagues in the world’, Mas says, with star finalising deal reportedly worth up to US$60 million a year
Inter Miami are targeting a July 21 debut for superstar signing Lionel Messi as the club plans to bolster the squad with as many as five new players, owner Jorge Mas said.
In an interview with the Miami Herald published on Tuesday, Mas said Messi was likely to play his first game for Inter against Mexican side Cruz Azul in the regional Leagues Cup competition.
Argentina captain Messi confirmed on June 7 that he plans to head to Major League Soccer after ending a two-year stint with Paris Saint-Germain.
The deal has yet to be finalised, but the Herald, citing a source with knowledge of the negotiations, said Messi was joining on a two-and-a-half-year deal worth up to US$60 million a year.
The deal also included an equity stake in Miami “upon the end of his playing days”, the Herald report said.
Mas, meanwhile, told the paper that Messi’s contract would conform to MLS roster rules.