Lionel Messi planned to buy 35% shares of club before engaging with them - Reports

Lionel Messi reportedly planned to buy 35% of the shares of Major League Soccer side Inter Miami before entering negotiations with them, according to American journalist Alex Candal (h/t le10sport).

The report claims that a few months ago, Messi planned to invest in Major League Soccer (MLS) before exploring the North American continent with his family. The Argentine superstar signed for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on a free transfer last year.

Barcelona were unable to afford Messi's wages, leading the Argentina international to make the switch to Paris. His current contract at the Parc des Princes expires in 2023 and has the option to be extended by another year.

It remains to be seen what plans Messi has for his future once his journey with PSG is over. The aforementioned report raises the possibility that he could join MLS in the near future.

Inter Miami are currently owned by David Beckham and brothers Jorge and Jose Mas. The club was formed in January 2018 and has competed in the top division in US since 2020.

By his standards, Messi had an underwhelming debut season with the Ligue 1 outfit. He managed to score six goals and provide 11 assists in 26 league games - his lowest tally of league goals since the 2005/06 campaign.

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Xavi Hernandez open to re-signing Lionel Messi at Barcelona

According to Fabrizio Romano on CaughtOffside, Xavi Hernandez would be open to the possibility of signing Lionel Messi at Barcelona.

The 35-year-old's contract is in its final year at PSG but the French club have discussed the possibility of extending it. However, they are yet to have formal negotiations on the matter.

Messi arrived at Barcelona from Newell's academy in the summer of 2000. In the 21 years that followed, the Argentine made himself one of the legends of the game, winning a record six Ballons d'Or in the process.

It is undeniable that Barcelona fans would welcome Messi with open arms. However, it remains to be seen if the La Liga outfit will have the financial bandwidth to bring him on board again.

Xavi has signed Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen, and Franck Kessie this summer. The club's financial problems are well known, yet that hasn't stopped them from spending this summer.

Time will tell if such deals will have an impact on their financial health in the long run. However, if they can afford to sign Lionel Messi in the near future, Xavi could sanction a move to bring Messi back to Camp Nou.