Lionel Messi talks Neymar to Inter Miami transfer: “Anything can happen”

Today marks one year since Lionel Messi announced that he would sign for Inter Miami, a transformative moment for MLS and for soccer in the United States. He was followed by former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba within weeks, while Luis Suárez joined ahead of the 2024 campaign.

In recent weeks there has been talk of Ángel Di María, another player with close ties to Messi, making the move to Miami. Following those rumours the latest name linked with the Herons is none other than Neymar Jr., the Brazilian superstar who formed part of Barcelona’s famous ‘MSN’ strikeforce, alongside Messi and Suárez.

In an interview with Infobae, Messi was asked about the prospect of Neymar moving to Inter Miami to reunite the superstar trio:

“No, I don’t know. The truth is that now it is difficult, he is in Arabia, he has one year left on his contract, I think. He had a difficult year now, where he was injured for a long time, which also left him out of the Copa America, where he could not play most of the matches in Arabia.”

Messi continued: “Afterwards, I don’t know, the truth is that life has so many twists and turns that anything can happen, but I don’t think so today.”

In the past Neymar has confirmed that he wants to play alongside Lionel Messi once again, although the mechanics of a Neymar-to-MLS move look very difficult without a significant change in either the Herons’ squad or Neymar’s wage demands.

Could Neymar sign for Inter Miami?

As Messi suggests, finding room in the Herons’ limited salary budget for another player with vast wage expectations looks extremely difficult at this stage. Neymar’s two-year deal with Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal is thought to be worth around $175 million, far in excess of what even Messi earns in MLS.

Neymar is also out injured at the moment and has not yet returned to the playing field after suffering a torn ACL injury last October. With Messi and Suárez already filling two attacking roles for Tata Martino’s side it is difficult to make a sporting case for Neymar arriving this year, but in the future that could change.

Suárez, despite having scored 12 goals in 16 MLS games, looks every second of his 37 years and his lack of mobility is a limiting factor for the Herons. His deal only keeps him at Chase Stadium for this season and he looks unlikely to extend beyond the 2024 campaign. If he Suárez leaves at the end of his current deal there could be a space in the Miami team for another superstar attacking talent, although Neymar would almost certainly have to wait until he is available on a free transfer in the summer of 2025.

For now, Lionel Messi is focused on his pursuit of a third successive major international tournament with Argentina, a feat that would reiterate their status as one of the best national teams of all time. If he can lift Copa America at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on July 14 he would add another chapter to his incredible sporting legacy.