David Beckham isn’t backing down in his attempts to lure a big soccer star from Europe to come play in his club Inter Miami. This time Beckham reportedly decided to try and recruit Barcelona’s star forward Lionel Messi.
According to Radio Catalunya, Beckham reached out to Messi in order to see whether the Argentinian would like to continue his career in MLS. The 32-year-old is under contract with Barca until 2021 but has a clause that allows him to leave as a free agent next summer.
Barcelona’s front office is reportedly aware of Inter Miami’s interest and doesn’t intend to leave anything to chance. The club is already preparing a new deal for their star and is thinking about offering Messi a lifetime contract. Another option would be to offer him a 10-year contract, to ensure stability for the club in years to come.
Lionel Messi’s current contract contains a $773M buyout clause, which is the amount that any team would have to pay for his services. However, if the player himself expresses the desire to leave the club before May, he can do that for free each summer.
It’s highly unlikely that Messi would leave Barca anytime soon, as he still plays on a high level. He might change his mind several years from now, but even then, his preference would be a symbolic return to his childhood club Newell Old Boy’s.