"We would welcome him with open arms" - Star striker makes shocking transfer admission about Lionel Messi

Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain has tipped Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi to join him in the MLS, revealing Inter Miami would welcome the forward “with open arms”.

Lionel Messi’s future at Barcelona is still up in the air as his contract expires in the summer. The Barcelona captain has been heavily linked with moves to Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain. There is also interest from the MLS, with Inter Miami reportedly eyeing a sensational swoop for the six-time Balon d’Or winner.

Inter striker Gonzalo Higuain, who played alongside Lionel Messi in the Argentina national team, has now revealed his desire to see the Barcelona superstar join him in the MLS.

Messi in MLS 👀Inter Miami's Gonzalo Higuain:"I see no reason why Lionel couldn't come here. If it would make him happy, we would welcome him with open arms." 🤗[ESPN] pic.twitter.com/SekloYy3Th

— Goal (@goal) March 18, 2021

Speaking to ESPN, Higuain tipped Lionel Messi to join the growing list of big-name players to make the switch to the MLS.

"Andrea Pirlo came here [to the MLS] when he was a world champion, so did [Thierry] Henry, [David] Villa and [Blaise] Matuidi," said Higuain. "I see no reason why Lionel couldn't come here. If it would make him happy, we would welcome him with open arms."

However, Higuain added that while he would love to see Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, the 33-year-old still has what it takes to compete in the UEFA Champions League.

"At some point, he will decide where he wants to play and what is in his own best interest on a personal and sporting level. But, in my opinion, he has the caliber to continue competing in the Champions League,” Higuain added.

Lionel Messi is enjoying a stellar campaign with Barcelona

FC Barcelona v SD Huesca - La Liga Santander

While this could be Lionel Messi's last season in the La Liga, he continues to stand out from the pack as he leads Barcelona's league title charge.

Messi tops the La Liga scoring charts with 21 goals from 23 matches and is on course to grab a record eight Pichichi award. He has scored 27 goals in 36 games across all competitions this term while providing 10 assists for his teammates.

THREAD: The most impressive stats Lionel Messi is leading in LaLiga this season👇👇 pic.twitter.com/FMkAlm6XDP

— MC (@CrewsMat19) March 19, 2021

The Argentine most recently scored two goals and provided one assist as Barcelona cruised to a 4-1 win over struggling Huesca in the La Liga on Tuesday.

Messi's impressive performances have helped Barcelona climb up the table into second place, two points ahead of arch-rivals Real Madrid and four points behind league leaders Atletico Madrid.