Lionel Messi ‘close’ to ‘dream’ MLS transfer as David Beckham and Phil Neville’s Inter Miami look to add Barcelona legends Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Cesc Fabregas

Lionel Messi is close to agreeing a deal with MLS side Inter Miami for next season, reports claim.

Messi will become a free agent in the summer of 2023 when his current deal at Paris Saint-Germain expires, and The Times claim he is set for the USA.

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The 35-year-old will become the highest-paid player in the history of Major League Soccer should the deal go through for him to join David Beckham’s franchise who are coached by Phil Neville.

On top of signing the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and arguably the greatest player to ever play the game, Inter Miami also want to strengthen with Messi’s good friend Luis Suarez, as well as Cesc Fabregas.

Meanwhile, Barca legend Sergio Busquets has long been linked with the side, and reports claim that deal could also be done.

All three of those all-time greats played alongside Messi in trophy-laden stints at Barcelona, the club where Messi became a legend of the game with four Champions League wins, which included two European trebles.

Messi left his near-lifelong club in tears in 2021 when the Catalans’ finances made it impossible to re-sign, instead joining PSG on a two-year deal.

Both European giants had aspirations of securing the Argentine for the 2023/24 season, but it now appears he will be heading stateside.

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Co-owner Beckham and manager Neville have both discussed the team’s ambitions to sign the best players, with the latter saying: “This club will always want to bring a superstar to Miami, and a lot of top players want to come here because of where we are.”

Inter Miami have previously secured star signings such as Gonzalo Higuain and Blaise Matuidi, despite only existing since 2020.

Last year Neville narrowly guided the side into the MLS play-offs for the first time, and had his contract extended by a year despite being knocked out in the first round.

Messi has previously spoken of his aspirations to play in the US and has a home in Miami.

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“I would like to play in the United States one day; it’s always been one of my dreams,” he told the Spanish media last year.

The Argentina captain recently scored his second goal of the 2022 World Cup in stunning fashion to help his team past Mexico and recover from an opening defeat to Saudi Arabia.

Former side Barcelona had previously expressed their aspirations over a return for Messi, but with the team out of this season’s Champions League, their well-publicised finances look to have taken another critical blow.