Lionel Messi has decided to join MLS side Inter Miami after his stint with Paris Saint-Germain, spurning both Barcelona and Saudi Arabia team Al-Hilal despite his desire to return to his former team and the luxurious offer he got from the Saudi club.
Now, Barcelona have broken their silence on Messi's decision, sharing their understanding why the Argentine star opted to move to the US to continue his professional career.
“On Monday, June 5, Jorge Messi, the player’s father and representative, informed Club President Joan Laporta of the player's decision to join Inter Miami, despite having been presented with a proposal from Barça, in consideration of the desire of both FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi for him to once again wear blaugrana,” the club statement read.
“President Laporta understood and respected Messi's decision to want to compete in a league with fewer demands, further away from the spotlight and the pressure he has been subject to in recent years.”
For those who missed it, when explaining his decision to move to Inter Miami, Messi shared that “if the Barcelona [deal] didn't work out, I wanted to leave Europe, get out of the spotlight, and think more about my family.”
Despite Barcelona's failure to reunite with Lionel Messi, however, the club has nothing but love and appreciation for arguably the greatest player to wear the Barca colors. With that, the team also revealed their plans to have a tribute for Messi so that the fans can honor him.
Messi's move to Inter Miami has yet to be finalized, though both sides are only working on the finer details of the deal. According to the latest reports, Messi's contract with Inter Miami is not only the highest in MLS history, but also includes provisions for ownership and a cut in streaming earnings.
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