"Now we got two No. 10s" – Dolphins star Tyreek Hill sends message to Lionel Messi after Inter Miami move
Dolphins star Tyreek Hill has sent a special message to Lionel Messi, who is set to join Inter Miami this summer.
Messi, 35, claimed in a recent interview that he would be joining the Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit at the end of his Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) deal. Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner elaborated:
"I'm going to go to Miami. I still haven't closed it 100%. I'm missing a few things, but we decided to go ahead."
Subsequently, Hill sent a message to the attacker on his National Football League (NFL) team's Twitter account:
"Hey, this is Tyreek Hill. I just want to say welcome to the 305, Lionel Messi. Now we got two No. 10s, but I just want to know which one of us is the fastest. But anyways, congratulations to you man and shoutout... welcome to Miami!"
MLS released a cautious statement about the Argentine's interview on Wednesday (June 7). The statement read:
"We are pleased to know that Lionel Messi has stated that he intends to join Inter Miami CF and Major League Soccer this summer. Although work remains to finalize a formal agreement, we look forward to welcoming him."
According to The Athletic, the former Barcelona forward's potential transfer to Inter Miami this summer is expected to involve contributions from two of MLS' standout commercial partners: AppleTV and Adidas. While Apple is interested in offering a share of the MLS Season Pass' revenue, Adidas is set to hand the forward a profit-sharing agreement.
Meanwhile, ESPN reported that the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner is set to have a unique clause in his potential multi-million dollar deal with Inter Miami. As a result, the Argentine could end up becoming a part-owner of the MLS side.
Shaka Hislop comments on potential MLS switch for Lionel Messi
When asked about Lionel Messi moving to the MLS, ex-Newcastle United player Shaka Hislop told Stats Perform:
"It would be incredibly huge for MLS, which continues to grow. I think it brings eyes to this league... it brings an appreciation of the league that has based a lot of its growth around bringing young and exciting South American talent to MLS. So, to have a not-so-young but exciting South American talent in the league does wonders for it."
Prior to his recent confirmation about Inter Miami, the ex-Newell's Old Boys player was linked with La Liga winners Barcelona and Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal for months. However, he has opted to showcase his skills in the USA.
So far this season, he has scored 21 goals and laid out 20 assists in 41 matches across all competitions for PSG.
Overall, Messi is one of the most decorated players in the history of the game. He has won seven Balons d'Or, 10 La Ligas, two Ligue 1 titles, four Champions Leagues, one Copa America and one FIFA World Cup among other major honors.
He will leave Europe after 19 long years at the senior level, having registered 710 goals and 339 assists in 875 games.