Lionel Messi will soon join Inter Miami after agreeing terms with the Major League Soccer club owned by David Beckham.
Messi will instantly become the greatest player to ever play in MLS, and after Beckham boosted the popularity of the league when signing for Los Angeles Galaxy back in 2007, he's signed an icon of the game to keep the momentum going. Messi's arrival will focus a lot more attention on MLS, even though it continues to be the fastest growing soccer league in the world.
The signing could influence other players to target the United States and Canada, and Messi joins an elite list of players to make the move after Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kaka and Gareth Bale all traded their European clubs for MLS. But Messi could well be joined in Miami by two former team-mates, after managing owner Jorge Mas sent out a transfer hint.
Mas posted a picture on Twitter of three blank Miami shirts, with the words 'Coming soon' underneath the vacant area of the locker room. Messi has already been confirmed as a new arrival, meaning there's two more players joining him in MLS.
There's heavy speculation about who his new team-mates could be, although Barcelona legends Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba are the overwhelming favourites to help build an All-Star team in MLS. Alba reached a mutual agreement with Barcelona to end his contract a year early, with his original deal set to expire at the end of next season.
Alba has reportedly agreed to sign for Miami, according to Mundo Deportivo, but there remains interest from Atletico Madrid and teams in Saudi Arabia. Busquets completed his final season with Barcelona after coming through the team academy.
Busquets leaves Barcelona with a stunning resume, making 722 appearances and securing nine La Liga titles, three Champions Leagues, and seven Copa del Rey trophies. Busquets has been linked with Miami for some time and could follow friend and former team-mate Messi to Florida.
All three former Barcelona players were offered deals to play in Saudi Arabia, with Messi offered a world-record contract to follow Cristiano Ronaldo to the Middle East. But Messi snubbed the offer due to money not being important to him, and Miami his preferred destination.
"If it had been a matter of money, I'd have gone to Arabia or elsewhere," Messi said. "It seemed like a lot of money to me. The truth is that my final decision goes elsewhere and not because of money."
The Argentine was offered $1.25 billion (£1bn) by a Saudi Arabia outfit on a two-and-a-half-year deal but turned it down. However, that doesn't mean that Messi won't be paid handsomely in MLS, with a unique contract handed out by Miami.
While his annual contracted salary may not be close to the amount he could've earned elsewhere, other revenue streams could see him receive more in different ways, including assets. Messi will receive a percentage on all subscriptions to the MLS Season Pass from Apple TV.
This sum will be paid to the player directly by Apple. Messi will also get a percentage of Inter Miami shirt sales which will be paid directly by Adidas. Finally, Messi have the possibility of acquiring an MLS franchise at the end of his career, just as current owner Beckham did.
