Lionel Messi announces joining Inter Miami

Lionel Messi has announced he is joining Inter Miami – ending months of speculation about his future.

The World Cup winner, 35, played his last game for Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month and looked set to return to Barcelona or secure a money-spinning switch to Saudi side Al-Hilal.

But he has opted to trade Ligue 1 for Major League Soccer after sealing a deal with Miami, who are co-owned by Manchester United legend David Beckham.

In an interview with Spanish publications Mundo Deportivo and Sport, the Argentina superstar said: ‘I made the decision that I am going to go to Miami.

‘I still haven’t closed it 100%. I’m missing some things but we decided to continue on the path.

‘If the Barcelona thing didn’t work out, I wanted to leave Europe, get out of the spotlight and think more of my family.

‘I was very excited to be able to return [to Barcelona]. But after the exit I had, I did not want to be in the same situation again – waiting to see what was going to happen.

‘I made the decision that I’m going to Miami. It is not finalized 100 percent. There are a few things left but we decided to continue down this path. If Barcelona didn’t work out, I wanted to leave Europe, get out of the spotlight and think more about myself.’

Ahead of the interview Jorge Mas, Inter Miami’s president, seemed to confirm the signing with a tweet of a Messi jersey and then Inter Miami went ahead and tweeted it out.

Source: Somali National News Agency