LIONEL MESSI could make his Stateside debut against Arsenal following his shock transfer to Inter Miami.
Messi caused uproar in the footballing world after announcing that after coming to the end of his PSG contract he would sign with Inter Miami.
The World Cup winning hero made the decision to move across the pond despite a last minute mega-money offer from Saudi Arabia.
His first game Stateside could be the imminent MLS All-Stars clash against Premier League side Arsenal on July 19.
A team featuring the best stars from the MLS, managed by Wayne Rooney, could welcome Messi into the fray.
Mikel Arteta, manager for Arsenal expressed enthusiasm for the pre-season friendly: “It’s great that we’re playing against the MLS All-Stars in Washington D.C. in July. The match against the MLS All-Stars will be a good test ahead of the 2023/24 season.”
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If Messi were to appear, reports suggest it would likely only be for a few minutes due to his lack of recent action.
Excitement around his debut is huge, with Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup match against Cruz Azul on July 21 expected to be his first game for his new club.
According to The Miami Herald, tickets for the match have increased a remarkable 1,034 per cent – with the most expensive listed on StubHub for £16,000.
The Miami team have had to accommodate for the increased interest with plans to expand their stadium by 3,000 seats to a 22,000 capacity.
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Their socials have also been flooded with new fans, seeing a massive increase of almost seven million followers since he was announced.
Inter Miami are currently sat at the bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference and will benefit from Messi’s ability to bring them up the table.
They have 12 MLS games left this season and will also play against Cincinnati in the semi-finals of the US Open Cup in August.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
