Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Summer 2025 (after Man City departure)
Inter Miami hold the MLS discovery rights for Kevin De Bruyne, giving them exclusive priority to negotiate with the departing Man City midfielder.
While no formal offer has been made yet, Miami’s listing means they’ve expressed real interest. However, signing De Bruyne would likely require freeing up a Designated Player slot from Messi, Alba, or Busquets.
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
April 2025
Inter Miami hold the MLS discovery rights to Kevin De Bruyne, giving them priority to negotiate with the Belgian playmaker once he becomes a free agent after leaving Manchester City this summer.
With De Bruyne’s contract expiring and Inter Miami planning for the 2025 Club World Cup and Leagues Cup, they could now move to unite him with Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba. San Diego FC are out of the race due to budget concerns.
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
March 2025
Messi scored the match-winning goal in the 57th minute, just two minutes after coming on as a substitute, helping Inter Miami beat Philadelphia Union 2-1 and rise to first place in MLS East.
After recovering from injury, Messi made an immediate impact by finishing a pass from Luis Suárez with a right-footed strike. Miami remains unbeaten this season across all competitions, with Messi contributing in each MLS appearance so far.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr) Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
March 2025
Reports of Cristiano Ronaldo joining Lionel Messi at Inter Miami on a short-term deal have been debunked by Fabrizio Romano, who confirmed there is no truth to the story.
While Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr contract ends this season, Romano clarified the Portuguese star is likely to extend his stay in Saudi Arabia, ruling out any imminent MLS switch or reunion with Messi.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
Potentially June–July 2025
Cristiano Ronaldo could join Inter Miami on a short-term deal for the FIFA Club World Cup, linking up with Lionel Messi.
With no contract extension yet agreed at Al-Nassr, Ronaldo is reportedly open to a brief U.S. stint before returning to Saudi Arabia. The move would allow the 40-year-old to feature in FIFA’s expanded 32-team Club World Cup hosted in the United States.
Argentina National Team, Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
March 2025
Argentina booked their 2026 World Cup ticket with dominant wins over Uruguay and Brazil — both without Lionel Messi.
Despite Messi’s absence due to an adductor injury, Argentina handed Brazil a historic 4-1 defeat and edged Uruguay 1-0, securing qualification. Coach Lionel Scaloni urged patience regarding Messi’s decision to play in 2026: “Let’s not drive him crazy with this.” Teammates like Julián Álvarez and Rodrigo De Paul made it clear they hope the GOAT returns: “With Messi, we might have scored more,” Álvarez said. De Paul added: “Our best version is always when No. 10 is on the pitch.”
