Lionel Messi lands in Fort Lauderdale before completing Inter Miami transfer

Lionel Messi has landed at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport as he prepares to complete his transfer to Inter Miami.

The 36-year-old, who has spent recent weeks in the Bahamas with family, left Paris Saint-Germain at the end of last season after his two-year contract with the Ligue 1 side expired and announced in early June that he had decided to move to MLS.

He landed at the airport, which is next to DRV PNK Stadium and Inter Miami’s training facility, on Tuesday.

Inter Miami are targeting their first game in the Leagues Cup (a new competition involving every team in MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX) against Cruz Azul on July 21 to be Messi’s debut.

LIONEL MESSI HAS ARRIVED IN SOUTH FLORIDA TO MAKE HIS INTER MIAMI MOVE OFFICIAL ☀️

(via @SC_ESPN) pic.twitter.com/lgpKN3XeGN

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 11, 2023

The Athletic reported on Monday the Argentinian’s unveiling by Inter Miami could be broadcast at half-time of the Gold Cup final on Sunday.

Major League Soccer is in discussions with CONCACAF, Fox and Univision to air a portion of the presentation, according to multiple sources briefed on the plans, who spoke anonymously to protect relationships.

Speaking in a pre-recorded interview with TV Publica in Argentina, Messi said of his move to Miami: “We’re happy about the decision that we’ve made. We’re prepared and looking forward to this new challenge.

“My mentality is not going to change and I’m going to try, wherever I play, to give the maximum to my new club, and continue performing at my top level.”

Fans of Lionel Messi wait for his arrival at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Photo: CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

Messi to Miami — read more on The Athletic

Barcelona, whom Messi departed to join PSG in the summer of 2021, had repeatedly expressed interest in re-signing the Argentina star and World Cup winner.

GO DEEPER

Lionel Messi to join MLS side Inter Miami

Messi had also received a proposal from Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, which could have seen the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner command around €400million a year.

But The Athletic reported back in October that Inter Miami were increasingly confident in a pursuit that has spanned several years.

His move to MLS is a huge coup as the United States gears up to host the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico.

Why did Messi’s deal take so long to complete?

Analysis by Paul Tenorio, Pablo Maurer and Tom Bogert

The delay in finalising Messi’s deal has also impacted the timeline of multiple deals being negotiated in tandem with his contract — from a new coach to the players set to join him in the summer transfer window.

Part of the reason for that is the complicated nature of the deal. Due to MLS’s single-entity structure, players sign contracts with the league, not individual teams.

The proposed contract includes the option to purchase an equity stake in Inter Miami, and part of the deal also necessitates discussions with Apple regarding revenue share on new subscriptions for the MLS Season Pass service. A source briefed on the negotiations said the Apple deal will be based on revenue driven by new international subscribers.

There is also the structure of the compensation itself, the tax implications of how the contract is drawn up, as well as things like marketing and image rights. Those negotiations go down to granular levels, like which entities own rights to Messi’s name and the No. 10 for use on different products, for example.

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Why Inter Miami's Lionel Messi deal isn't done yet; MLS, Apple pushing for All-Star involvement

Is he playing in the MLS All-Star Game?

No. The MLS All-Star team that will face Arsenal in that game has already been selected, and after all, Messi’s debut is slated to be just two days after that matchup. It was always unlikely he’d travel to D.C. for that.

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Inter Miami — the lowdown

Inter Miami were established in 2018 and have been contesting MLS matches since 2020.

They are owned by brothers Jorge and Jose Mas alongside former England captain David Beckham, who played MLS football with LA Galaxy between 2007 and 2012 after more than a decade at Manchester United and four years at Real Madrid.

Inter Miami currently play at the 18,000-seater DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, but permission has been granted for construction to begin on Miami Freedom Park, a $1billion (£860m) stadium complex that will give Inter Miami a spectacular home.

The club endured a tumultuous period post-launch as they entered MLS during the COVID-19 pandemic and were later punished for breaking budget rules.

Their challenging spell has continued this term, with the franchise bottom of the Eastern Conference standings when Phil Neville was sacked.

(Photo: CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)