Lionel Messi-Marco Reus link-up at Inter Miami unlikely due to key MLS rule: Reports

The possibility of Lionel Messi and Marco Reus playing together at Inter Miami has reportedly been ruled out. Reus, who is set to part ways with Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season, was rumored to join the David Beckham-owned outfit in Major League Soccer (MLS).

Club legend and former captain Reus announced his departure from Borussia Dortmund weeks before the end of the season. With BVB finishing fifth in the league in Reus' final season, the 34-year-old is set to compete in his final-ever match for the club on June 1 when Dortmund take on Real Madrid in a highly awaited UEFA Champions League final clash at Wembley Stadium.

With his departure set in stone, reports emerged linking Marco Reus to American club Inter Miami. The Herons, owned by football legend David Beckham, have already acquired the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Sergio Busquets, in recent seasons, making the club a potentially suitable destination for Reus.

According to reports from The Athletic, Charlotte FC are in advanced talks to sign the veteran forward, holding a crucial advantage due to MLS’s discovery rights system.

In MLS, the discovery process governs the signing of players who are not currently attached to any team. Each MLS club maintains a "discovery list" on which they can designate up to seven players for whom they have priority rights to sign. This list plays a pivotal role in the league's player acquisition process.

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What is the discovery list? How does it affect Marco Reus' MLS move?

Charlotte FC, having listed Reus on their discovery list, possess the priority rights to sign him. MLS regulations stipulate that if another club wishes to sign a player on a team's discovery list, they must offer $50,000 in general allocation money for the player's discovery rights.

The team holding these rights must then make a "genuine, objectively reasonable offer" to retain the player within three days.

Charlotte FC’s proactive approach and strategic planning have positioned them as the frontrunners to secure Reus’s signature. They have been negotiating with the player for several months, and their possession of his discovery rights gives them the upper hand.

While St. Louis City were also interested in the German star, according to The Athletic, they may fall short in their efforts due to Charlotte's established priority.

Marco Reus' departure from Borussia Dortmund was marked by an emphatic 4-0 victory over Darmstadt, where he celebrated with a goal and an assist. Reus’s farewell was highlighted by a sumptuous free-kick, curled into the net from the edge of the box.