Lionel Messi is reportedly close to deal to join MLS — and getting a historic profit-sharing deal with Adidas and Apple to make it happen
REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
- Lionel Messi is close to a deal to join the MLS and Inter Miami, according to multiple reports.
- One report says Messi has chosen Inter Miami, and another says the two sides are working on a deal.
- The deal sounds unprecedented, with profits from MLS TV deal and Adidas going to Messi.
Soccer's biggest superstar is close to a deal to join the MLS and Inter Miami, according to multiple reports.
Lionel Messi, one of the sport's all-time greats who has played for French club Paris Saint-Germain for the last two years and won a World Cup with Argentina in 2022, has decided to join the North American league, according to Spanish soccer journalist Guillem Balagué.
PSG confirmed that Messi would leave the team earlier this month after a tumultuous run that brought domestic success for the club but failed to net them a Champions League crown.
Messi is getting a monster payday for the deal, according to the Athletic.
The MLS and Apple have discussed giving Messi a share of the revenue from the MLS Season Pass TV subscription, and Adidas has also offered Messi a profit-sharing deal that'll give the soccer star a cut of any jump in profits from the MLS.
The former Barcelona great apparently turned down an even bigger deal from Saudi Arabia, which has been snapping up soccer stars on massive multi-million-dollar deals to play in the Saudi Premier League. Christiano Ronald, one of Messi's fiercest rivals, joined the league last year and is reportedly making a staggering $213 million yearly salary.
Messi's snub is a painful loss for the Saudis but comes on the heels of a shocking golf merger that'll combine the Saudi-backed LIV Golf league with the PGA Tour.