Will Lionel Messi sign a new deal at Inter Miami? Journalist makes fresh claims as contract talks stall

Lionel Messi's chances of signing a new deal at Inter Miami reportedly hang in the balance. The Argentine has been in talks for months and is inching closer to the end of his contract.

As per Jose Armando of Claro Sports, the probability of Messi staying at the MLS side beyond this season is currently at 50%. The Barcelona legend has just months left on his current deal after joining on a 2.5-year contract in 2023.

He added that the situation is the same for Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets. Armando said (via Athlon Sports):

"As of May 1, Lionel Messi has not signed a contract extension with Inter Miami. The same is true for [Jordi] Alba, [Sergio] Busquets, and [Luis] Suarez.”

The report comes as a surprise, as Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas stated in April that the talks were going well. He added that he expected the Argentine to extend his contract within the next two or three months.

“The stars are aligning for something great, for a beautiful future for the club and for Lionel. It’s solely his decision. I expect that within 60-90 days we’ll have to determine all of this. My hope has always been — and everything we’re doing — is to see Messi play at our new stadium in 2026. Hopefully, that happens," Mas said (via the Athletic).

David Ornstein of the Athletic has also reported that the 37-year-old is interested in staying at Inter Miami.

Lionel Messi wants Inter Miami to be his last club

Lionel Messi spoke to ESPN in 2024 and claimed that Inter Miami would be the last club he would play for. The Argentine also admitted that while it was difficult to leave Europe, he was enjoying his time at the MLS club.

"It's going to be my last club. I've done this all of my life; I love playing ball. I enjoy the practices and the day-to-day, the games. Yeah, there's a bit of fear that it's all ending. It's always there. It was a difficult step leaving Europe to come here [Miami]," Messi said.

He added:

"The fact we won the World Cup helped, it helped a lot, to see things in another way. But I try not to think about it. I try to enjoy it. I do that more now because I'm aware that there's not a lot of time left. So I have a good time with the club, being lucky having good teammates and friends at my side. I enjoy my time with the national team, where I also have good friends, too, and a lot. I enjoy those small details that I know I'll miss when I stop playing."

Lionel Messi is already Inter Miami's all-time leading scorer with 43 goals from 53 outings. He helped the Herons win their maiden trophy — the Leagues Cup in 2023. The club also won the Supporters' Shield in 2024 but failed to make it past the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs, losing to Atlanta United.