MLS pundit Matt Doyle has jokingly suggested Lionel Messi’s role in Inter Miami’s ability to sign top players.
The Herons have been quite remarkable in the transfer market since Messi’s arrival last year, with Inter Miami since recruiting the likes of Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Julian Gressel in what could be the best roster in MLS history.
As well as established names, Inter Miami have also managed to sign upcoming talents like Federico Redondo, who FC Barcelona are reportedly still annoyed about missing out on earlier in the year.
And Messi could be the reason why Inter Miami are finding so much luck in signing new players.
Pundit jokes that players will take a discount to play for Inter Miami alongside Messi
Speaking on MLS Extratime, expert Doyle jokingly suggested that players approached by Inter Miami are taking pay-cuts from their salaries given that they are being offered the chance to play alongside Messi.
The reigning Ballon d’Or holder and arguably the greatest player of all time, there could be some truth in the joke that players are lowering their salary if it means getting to play with Messi, with the opportunity something that comes once in a lifetime.
Doyle jokingly said when asked how Inter Miami keep managing to find good signings in the market: “I feel like a lot of these guys are taking a ‘you get to play with Messi’ discount.
“Like a lot of these guys are thinking ‘I’ll sign this deal and then probably make more on the deal coming off of this one, because I’m going to score goals for fun because I’m playing with the greatest playmaker of all-time.'”
There could be some truth behind players wanting to play with Messi
No player in the history of soccer even comes close to rivaling Messi in terms of what the Argentine international has done throughout his career in terms of trophies and individual successes.
And now at Inter Miami, there could be some truth behind players taking pay cuts in order to play with Messi in the final years of his career, with the Herons’ squad absolutely stacked.
With the summer transfer window coming up, this theory will be tested again if Inter Miami make another big-name signing, with Messi clearly an attractive pull for players.