Why Lionel Messi’s Barcelona Reunion Was Impossible As He Joins MLS Side Inter Miami

• Lionel Messi's return to Barcelona was technically impossible
• Messi wanted a last dance with his boyhood club
• But he has since inked a deal with MLS side Inter Miami, according to multiple reports

Lionel Messi, widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time, has chosen to turn down mind-spinning offers from Saudi Arabia in favour of a move to the Major League Soccer (MLS)in America.

After spending two years with Paris Saint-Germain, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner will cross the Atlantic Ocean to sign for Inter Miami as he nears the twilight of his glistening career.

Up until this point, Messi had been primarily been linked with a return to his former club FC Barcelona and a potential move to Al-Hilal in the Middle East, GOAL reports.

His desire was to make a comeback at Barcelona, but unfortunately, the Argentine phenom could not realize his dreams of retracing his steps back to his boyhood club.

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After presenting a comprehensive economic viability plan that demonstrated Barcelona's ability to navigate its financial challenges, the Catalan giants were ultimately granted approval.

The plan, outlining how the club could effectively manage the deal despite their financial difficulties, was accepted by the Spanish top-flight authorities, giving Barcelona the green light to secure Messi's signature, per Forbes.

However, the deal did not see the light of day. Sports Brief takes a look at why the Messi-Barcelona reunion was technically impossible, despite the player's keen interest in making a fairytale return to Camp Nou.

Messi wanted guarantees

Despite the mutual desire of both Lionel Messi and the parties involved, including Barcelona's coach Xavi Hernandez and president Joan Laporta to reach a deal, the Argentine World Cup-winning captain sought assurances before finalizing any agreement.

Barcelona's public interest in Messi was expressed by Hernandez and Laporta, but unfortunately, the club was unable to present an official offer that could match the bids from Inter Miami and Al-Hilal, thereby falling short of meeting Messi's requirements for a commitment.

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Barcelona had to sell

Even with the financial approval from La Liga, Barcelona had to manoeuvre and make certain arrangements to secure the arrival of their legendary player.

Although they had already bid farewell to long-serving player Sergio Busquets and his Spanish compatriot Jordi Alba, the club still needed to offload other players in order to finalize Messi's deal.

The Argentine superstar was eager to have his future settled swiftly, aiming to avoid a summer filled with transfer drama and uncertainty.

Additionally, attempts by the club to offload Ansu Fati and Franck Kessie proved unsuccessful. Hence Barca could not free up space to accommodate Messi's return.

Messi joins Inter Miami

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Lionel Messi on Wednesday announced he will sign for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, choosing the United States as his next destination over a Barcelona reunion or blockbuster deal to play in Saudi Arabia.

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The Argentine forward, 35, has spent the last two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, playing his final game for the club on Saturday after moving from Barcelona in 2021, where he spent the majority of his career.

Messi said that he did not want to have to wait for Barcelona to find a formula to be able to sign him, given their financial situation -- they were unable to keep him before his move to PSG, leading to a tearful departure.