The Lionel Messi saga is finally coming to an end as the Argentine is closing in on a transfer to Inter Miami, as per a report by MARCA.
Barcelona have intensively pursued the 35-year-old for the past six months, but have failed to make him an official offer.
The player wants to make a quick decision and has had offers from Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia and Inter Miami in the MLS.
He seems to have chosen the latter as his destination, which could be interpreted as the choice of his family, who reportedly preferred Miami to the Middle East.
Reports emerged earlier today which claimed the MLS outfit were edging closer to capturing the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Additionally, Gerard Romero is now reporting that Barcelona have informed him that Messi’s camp have told them he will not be returning.
The development comes as a devastating blow to the La Liga champions, who had been dreaming of re-signing their former captain for the last dance.
Manager Xavi Hernandez has been very vocal about bringing Messi back to the club. However, the lack of a formal offer, the failure to provide guarantees for his registration and the Argentine’s haste to decide on his future appear to have contributed to the reunion not taking place.
Instead, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner will ply his trade at Inter Miami, where he will be offered a lucrative financial package that includes a percentage of profits from MLS partners such as Adidas and Apple.
In addition, Messi will also have the option to buy a stake in the MLS club once he retires, similar to David Beckham.