The BBC announced today, Wednesday, that Lionel Messi rejected a massive offer from Saudi Arabia and will move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer on a free transfer after the end of his contract with French champion Paris Saint-Germain. Messi had been linked with a return to Barcelona, but the club is struggling with financial fair play restrictions imposed by La Liga.
A source familiar with the negotiations told Reuters that Messi wanted to join a team that would allow him to have an ownership stake. He also aimed to maximize his contract with "Adidas" and "Apple," which is linked to a deal with Major League Soccer. The American league receives a fixed revenue of about $200 million annually from "Apple" until a certain threshold of subscriptions is reached, after which it earns a share of the subscription revenues.
Messi's move to Major League Soccer is expected to increase viewer subscriptions to the streaming platform "Apple TV" to watch one of the most famous football players in the world. Forbes revealed that Messi will sign for four seasons with the American club, earning him $54 million per season.
