Inter Miami: For some football fans, the off-season is the part of the calendar that they look forward to the most, as that can only mean one thing: It’s time for transfers! Over the next weeks and months, the biggest names will be linked with the biggest clubs, with speculation set to go into overdrive.
We all know that some transfers turn out well for all parties involved, but there are plenty where at least one of the clubs, or even the player, are left wondering what might have been had they made a different decision while at the negotiating table.
GOAL is here, then, to ensure you know who did the best out of every massive deal before the ink is even dry on the contracts. Throughout the summer window, we will be grading every done deal as it happens, letting you track the big winners – and losers – of transfer season.
Lionel Messi (PSG to Inter Miami, free): He is a colossal blow to the brand. At the end of the day, PSG had put themselves in a perilous position in relation to Financial Fair Play regulations by committing so much cash to the salaries of three superstar forwards.
One of them was always going to have to go this summer and there was no way PSG were giving up Kylian Mbappe, the cornerstone of their entire project. However, while they still can’t find a buyer for Neymar, Messi’s exit was inevitable.
The incredible thing is, the fans are happy to see the GOAT leave, given he came to represent everything they hate about their club.
So, at least he’s off the books now, meaning PSG can no doubt waste the money saved on some other ill-advised signing..
Inter Miami: The deal of the century! Inter Miami don’t have a good team. They are presently bottom of the Eastern Conference.
It’s not a well-run club either. Phil Neville was allowed to coach the team for more than two years. That tells you everything you need to know about David Beckham and his fellow owners. Yet they’ve still managed to pull off the biggest deal in MLS history – despite intense competition for his services from Saudi Arabia.
Is Messi still at the absolute peak of his powers? Of course, not. But he remains an absolute magician, as he proved by inspiring Argentina to victory at the 2022 World Cup just seven months ago. His mere presence is a game-changer for both Miami and MLS.
Messi: A reasonably shrewd move. Obviously, he could have earned even more money by moving to Saudi Arabia, but he’s still secured himself a sizeable salary for the next few years.
The hope was that Messi would have another crack at the Champions League. He said himself he was desperate to win a fifth title – but that clearly wasn’t true.
Evidently, his one remaining career goal is to captain his country at the 2026 World Cup, which will be staged in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
Joining Miami gives Messi an excellent chance of realising that dream, given the MLS is far less demanding, physically, than any of Europe’s Top 10 leagues, and he will be feeling right at home in the States by the time the tournament rolls around.
We wish Lionel Messi all the best!!!
