Inter Miami are reportedly confident that Lionel Messi will sign a new contract at the club. The Argentine is in the final year of his contract and has drawn interest from Saudi Pro League sides.
As per a report by David Ornstein on The Athletic, an agreement is close between Inter Miami and Messi. The two parties are keen on extending the deal, which was initially signed in July 2023, and hope to announce it soon.
Jorge Mas, the co-owner of Inter Miami, spoke to the media earlier this year and confirmed that he wants to keep hold of Messi. He wants the Argentine to be at the club when they inaugurate the new stadium, Freedom Park, in 2026. He said via ESPN:
"I previously said that my wish, my dream would be for the number 10 to inaugurate our new stadium in March. This is a decision that rests on Messi. We wish for Messi to finish his career here. I said a few months ago that we should have news in the summer about that but hopefully it will be as soon as possible."
AFC Champions League winners Al Ahli are leading the chase for Lionel Messi this year and are willing to offer him a massive contract to lure him to the club. Al Hilal have had an interest in the Barcelona legend since 2023 and remain interested in him.
Lionel Messi is happy at Inter Miami, reports journalist
Guillem Balague spoke to BBC Sport in June and reported that Lionel Messi was happy at Inter Miami and could extend his stay. He added that the Argentine's family is also happy in the United States and said:
"Will he commit his future to Inter Miami? After an unhappy two-year stay in Paris, on a personal level, the Messi family are in a good place in Miami. If his family are happy, then so is Messi. His wife Antonella is a face of Tiffany in the US as well as working with other brands such as Adidas. His three sons are all playing in the youth teams and Messi goes to watch every game they play."
"Those close to him say that they are in talks to extend his stay at the club. He has a contract until the end of the year, although to date they have yet to hammer out a firm agreement on an extension. What he has said, however, is that in principle this will be the club where he will end his playing career, although football constantly shows us that nothing should ever be taken for granted."
Lionel Messi has played a key role at Inter Miami in his two years at the club. He helped them win the Leagues Cup in 2023 before captaining the side to the MLS Supporters' Shield in 2024.