Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas advised ESPN Monday that negotiations with Lionel Messi over a brand new contract extension stay ongoing, however mentioned he is optimistic the staff captain might be with the membership to inaugurate its new stadium Miami Freedom Park in March 2026.
Messi first signed with Inter Miami on July 15, 2023 on a 2-½-year contract by means of the top of 2025 Main League Soccer season.
“I beforehand mentioned that my want, my dream can be for the quantity 10 to inaugurate our new stadium in March. It is a resolution that rests on Messi. We want for Messi to complete his profession right here. I mentioned a number of months in the past that we must always have information in the summertime about that however hopefully it is going to be as quickly as potential,” Mas mentioned in an interview with ESPN.
“However I’m optimistic as a result of now we have achieved all the things potential for Leo to really feel at house, to really feel comfy. I all the time mentioned that he’s a aggressive animal, he needs to win. I hope we will increase many trophies collectively right here at Inter Miami within the coming years. Right here, we’re simply ready to have the ability to give the followers the excellent news about Lionel Messi.”
Since becoming a member of the Herons, Messi led the staff to the 2023 Leagues Cup trophy, the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Defend and helped the membership break the league report for many factors scored in a single season. Past the trophies, targets and assists, Mas mentioned the 2 events can proceed to triumph.
“We’re a bit of egocentric, we wish to see extra trophies and clearly with Messi right here,” mentioned Mas, who co-owns the staff with David Beckham. “I will not converse for Messi, however I converse for me and the membership. Lionel from day one has mentioned he needs to compete and win. He’s a aggressive animal. Clearly we need to guarantee that now we have the very best roster to compete on the highest ranges. We might must ask Leo, however I believe he is aware of we’re doing all the things potential.
“There is no such thing as a device that the league offers us that now we have not used to raised this roster: signing younger gamers, discovering different cracks. For subsequent 12 months, discover one other star participant as a result of now we have the house within the roster. From our half, there’s not a lot lacking. There is no such thing as a rush, we needn’t do it in the present day or tomorrow, however quickly we’ll know Messi’s resolution and hopefully we stay collectively for a lot of extra years.”
Jordi Alba stays the one former Barcelona participant to have signed a contract extension with Inter Miami, penning a brand new deal by means of the 2027 MLS season. The contracts of Sergio Busquets and Luis Suárez, who together with Alba additionally performed with Messi at Barcelona, expire on the finish of the 2025 marketing campaign.
“When it comes to Suárez and Busquets, it is as much as them in the event that they keep. He [Suárez] has such a coronary heart of a footballer. Luis Suárez is extraordinary. He offers all the things in that recreation,” Mas mentioned. “I joke with him about knee ache as a result of I even have it, however I’m previous. I believe his contribution to the membership, to the locker room, what he represents, places apart all of the targets he has for Inter Miami, the assists, and what Luis participates in. We’ll see what he needs to do, if he needs to do yet one more 12 months or many extra it is as much as him if his physique permits it. I believe that is the query. I believe that the problem with Luis Suárez is a bodily one, not emotional.
“[Busquets is] probably the greatest midfielders within the historical past of soccer. It is also as much as him if he needs to remain. We’ve not had these conversations with Busquets simply but, however he’s greater than welcome at this membership. He is been a unprecedented chief on this membership. He reveals the younger gamers what it’s wish to be a frontrunner on the sector. He and Suárez have been an excellent plus to this staff. The door is all the time open to them. By the autumn, we’ll all must make selections about what the 2026 roster seems like.”
For now, Inter Miami is making ready to compete on the Membership World Cup in opposition to Group A opponents Palmeiras, FC Porto and Al Ahly. Regardless of coming into the worldwide match as one of many youngest groups, Mas mentioned Miami aspires to someday stand as the very best staff within the hemisphere and mentioned it begins by dealing with rivals on the Membership World Cup.
“I need to be the very best staff within the hemisphere, together with groups in South and Central America, together with groups not solely in our confederation of Concacaf, but in addition others,” Mas mentioned. “It has been no secret both that I someday aspire hopefully that Inter Miami performs in a Copa Libertadores as a result of it is a match that firstly, Messi has not performed in. Secondly, it is one thing that we aspire to as a result of I do suppose that we will compete with the hemisphere’s finest and hopefully the longer term permits the chance to try this one.”
For now, the expectations from Mas on Inter Miami stays to reach the Membership World Cup’s group stage and qualify to the knockout spherical.
Inter Miami kicks off the match June 14 within the opening match of the Membership World Cup in opposition to Al Ahly at Onerous Rock Stadium.
