After weeks of speculation about where he will be moving next after his contract with PSG expires, it has now been announced that Messi won’t be leaving for the KSA and will instead be going to the United States to sign with Inter Miami.
The 35-year-old Argentinian captain was rumored to be considering a move to Saudi Arabia, following in the steps of Cristiano Ronaldo. He did receive a more lucrative offer from a club in KSA but he’s decided to sign with Intern Miami instead.
“I’ve taken the decision that I am going to Miami,” Messi said in an interview.
“[I decided] to leave Europe.”
He added: “It’s true that I had offers from another European team but I didn’t even think about it because, in Europe, my idea was only to go to Barcelona.”
“After winning the World Cup and not being able to go to Barca, it’s time to go to MLS to live football in a different way and enjoy my day-to-day life more.”
“Obviously with the same responsibility and desire to win, and to do things well, but with more calm.”
Messi was keen on returning to Barcelona but the club did not make any concrete offers. FFP limitations had made it impossible for the Catalan club to get him again.
“I really wanted, I was very excited to be able to return [to Barcelona], but after having experienced what I experienced and the exit I had, I did not want to be in the same situation again - waiting to see what was going to happen.”
“I heard that they had to sell players or lower players’ salaries and the truth is that I didn’t want to go through that, nor take charge of obtaining something that had to do with all that.”
It is reported that Barcelona president John Laporta understood and respected Messi’s decision.
This move will be his first venture outside Europe. The deal with Miami also includes collaborations with Adidas and Apple.