"Another dimension on a commercial level" - Inter Miami executive reveals exactly how much Lionel Messi's arrival has affected club's finances
Inter Miami executive Xavier Asensi has said that Lionel Messi joining Inter Miami could help the club multiply its annual income by four times.
Messi completed a move to the MLS club this summer after leaving Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent. Considering the global superstar the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner is, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Messi is helping the MLS club become a more lucrative commercial entity,
Speaking about Messi's impact in terms of financial revenue, Asensi told MARCA:
"This must be clarified: Leo's arrival is, above all, to win on the field. Obviously, Leo is the one that sells the most commercially of all the players in the world.
"Modric, Ramos, Griezmann or Busquets give you a little jump, but Leo is another dimension on a commercial level; he is not earthly. To get an idea, in 2024, we will multiply Inter's income before Leo by four. There is a before and after Messi for Miami and for the entire MLS."
Lionel Messi has already proved his world-class talent for Inter Miami on the pitch. The Argentine has scored 11 goals and provided three assists in nine games for the MLS outfit, including winning the inaugural Leagues Cup, the Herons' first-ever trophy.
What Xavier Asensi said about how Inter Miami signed Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is one of the biggest names in world football and finest players to ever lace a pair of boots. Hence, an MLS minnow like Inter Miami signing him came as a surprise to many.
Asensi, who previously worked as a marketing director for 11 years for Barcelona, said that the club planned meticulously to pull off the signing, telling MARCA:
"When I arrive in Miami, I see that the idea of Jorge Mas (majority owner) is to be the reference of football in North America. And, although football is business, above all it belongs to the players.
"If what happens inside is good, the business is bigger. For this reason, there was no better business than Leo Messi, who is the number one of all time. And I told Mas if he was for that job. This was almost the first conversation with Jorge at the end of 2020."
Lionel Messi's Inter Miami return to action on Wednesday (August 30) against Nashville FC in the MLS. The Herons are 14th in the Eastern Conference.