The Argentine's contract at Inter Miami is up this year and clubs are ready to pounce. These clubs include Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli, who are the frontrunners to potentially sign Messi who would likely want a deal close to what Cristiano Ronaldo has at Al-Nassr.
However, Inter Miami are keen for their talisman around and according to The Athletic's David Ornstein, the MLS side are “extremely confident” they are going to retain him past the summer transfer window.
Miami are set to move to a $1BN, 25,000-seater stadium called Freedom Park in 2026, and the club is constantly growing with attendances for Inter Miami games in the group stages of the Club World Cup reached 51,000 - around 16,000 higher than the average.
Messi is happy in the MLS, but money talks and Al-Ahli may be able to tempt the 38-year-old who is coming to the end of his career with a contract that no player can turn down. It helps that Messi is under contract as an ambassador for the Saudi Tourism Board as he has ties with the country and that may persuade him to make the move and sign one of the most lucrative deals in sporting history.