Lionel Messi could seek a new club temporarily as he bids to win a second successive World Cup with Argentina.
Messi is currently plying his trade in America with Inter Miami, having played for the MLS side for two years.
According to a report from ESPN Argentina, he is now considering a loan to a more competitive league next season in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup to be held across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Messi’s current deal at Inter Miami expires at the end of the calendar year, but the American outfit are keen to extend his contract beyond that date.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is said to be contemplating a move away from the MLS at that point, to a competition at a higher level, plausibly to help him better prepare for the FIFA World Cup.
The journalist also adds that talks over a new contract with Inter Miami are currently on hold, meaning the possibility of an exit remains.
Lionel Messi’s name is deeply intertwined with Barcelona, where he spent 17 remarkable seasons, spearheading the club’s dominance and etching his name in the annals of football history. Nevertheless, a potential return to the Catalan giants seems improbable, largely due to the club’s current financial constraints and his reportedly strained relationship with President Joan Laporta.
Messi led Argentina to the FIFA World Cup triumph in 2022 in Qatar and as such will enter the tournament in 2026 as reigning champions hoping to retain their crown.
