Inter Miami's co-owner has revealed the inner workings of the ambitious deal struck with Lionel Messi to bring him to the US.
The Argentinian icon's impending transfer to the fledgling franchise took the football world by surprise, with the 36-year-old having spurned the advances of former club Barcelona and the riches of the Saudi Pro League. However, the departing Paris Saint-Germain forward ultimately found the opportunity to play in a city where he already owns a property too hard to resist.
The Camp Nou hero is one of the most bankable sports stars on the planet and it appears a unique deal was formed that will see the superstar take a share of revenue and profits garnered from his arrival stateside. Hence why a contract created with some of MLS' leading commercial partners was formed.
In fact, both entities have pre-existing commercial deals with the same brands. In the case of sportswear giant Adidas, Messi has had a deal with the company since 2006, while the latter has recently signed a mammoth $830 million (£653 million) extension as a kit and balls supplier for the next six years.
The 36-year-old is expected to earn a share of the profits garnered through any increase in merchandise sales that may occur upon his arrival in the USA. A similar deal is also in place with technology company Apple, who will also potentially offer the superstar a share of the revenue generated by new subscribers to their MLS Season Pass.
Apple has recently made a four-part docuseries surrounding the Argentine's successful World Cup campaign in Qatar in 2022, which will soon stream on Apple TV+. Earlier this year, the firm has also signed a deal with MLS worth some $2.5 billion (£1.87 billion) over the next decade to stream games on the streaming service.
Now Inter Miami's billionaire co-owner Jorge Mas has explained in an interview with El Pais that Messi will earn a basic wage of "between $50 million and $60 million (£39 million and £47 million) per year". He also acknowledged that Apple's commercial partnership with MLS also had a role in the deal, stating: "The Apple contract was very important to close the deal."
He added that the transfer had been in the works for several before the deal was struck, saying: "I spent three years on it, a year and a half very intensely. There were many conversations with [Messi's father and agent] Jorge [Messi]. David [Beckham] talked to Leo, only about football issues, because he was a player.
"I saw it done at the end of May, I didn't want him to feel under pressure. We spoke in Barcelona, Miami, Rosario, Doha. I spent the whole World Cup in Qatar, watching Argentina."
Inter Miami currently sit rock bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference after a torrid first half of the season but franchise chiefs will be hoping a potential flurry of signings could help to arrest the slide. They have now installed former Argentina and Barcelona boss Tata Martino as Phil Neville's successor as head coach.
