Lionel Messi is set to make his Inter Miami debut on July 21, as the club prepares to add up to five new players, according to owner Jorge Mas.
Mas told the Miami Herald in an interview published on Tuesday that Messi would most likely play his first match against Mexican side Cruz Azul in the regional Leagues Cup competition.
On June 7, Messi said that he will return to Major League Soccer after his exit from Paris Saint-Germain.
The agreement has still to be finalized, but according to reports, Messi will sign a two-and-a-half-year contract for up to $60 million each year.
The deal also included an equity stake in Miami “upon the end of his playing days,” the Herald report said.
Mas, meanwhile, told the paper that Messi’s contract would conform to MLS roster rules.
“There are no categories or anything that is being changed to incorporate Lionel Messi onto Inter Miami’s roster,” he said.
Mas said Messi’s arrival in MLS would prove to be a “seminal moment” for the history of football in the United States.
It was believed by many that Messi would choose to play for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia or go back to Barcelona where he spent most of his career. However, he decided to embark on his new journey with MLS.
In an interview earlier this month, he said some final details still need to be worked out, but that he has made the call to “continue my path” in Miami.
