David Beckham, one of the owners of MLS’s expansion team Inter Miami, flew to Barcelona reportedly to try to convince Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez to join him in the United States.
It is said the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star is a friend of the Uruguayan’s, and of course, Suárez is close with Messi. With both stars past 30, it’s not unthinkable that they would one day make a jump to MLS, like former Barcelona striker David Villa.
However, it seems such a move is in the far off future for now, if it will ever take place. RAC1 reports that Suárez has no intention of leaving, and while much was made of the fact that Messi has a clause in his contract that allows him to opt out next summer, it is understood he will not leave Barça soon, if ever.
Messi is reportedly being offered a massive salary to leave the Catalans and join Miami next summer, but the Argentine star seems unlikely to accept, at least so soon. Barcelona are confident that he will remain at Camp Nou for a while longer.
For Beckham and Miami, the strategy seems to be to first convince Suárez and then hope to use the Uruguayan’s friendship with Messi to push to land the world’s #1.
Mundo Deportivo writes that some within Barcelona do see Miami as an attractive destination for Messi in the future thanks to its climate and international culture. Beckham may be wise to target 2022 as the time to bring Messi in, after the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. That’s when the team’s new stadium, Miami Freedom Park, will be completed. Messi will be 35 then and perhaps ready to leave Europe.