Lionel Messi will not go on loan – Guillem Balague

Lionel Messi will not join another team on loan when the Major League Soccer season ends, says Guillem Balague.

The Inter Miami captain, 36, has been linked with a return to Barcelona and a switch to the Saudi Pro League.

Inter Miami are out of play-off contention after Saturday’s 1-0 loss to FC Cincinnati and their season ends on 21 October.

Argentine World Cup winner Messi has only played 72 minutes in the MLS since early September due to injury.

After the MLS regular season ends, Argentina have World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil on 17 and 22 November and Messi is then expected to take a month’s holiday.

“Messi will have around one month holiday, like other footballers. So forget any move to Saudi or similar,” says Spanish football expert Balague.

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He will then return for pre-season in Miami with the MLS new season starting in February.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner joined Inter Miami from Paris St-Germain in July and guided the club to their first Leagues Cup victory in August, before losing the US Open Cup.

Although he has scored 11 goals in 13 games for the side, only one of those has come in his five MLS appearances.

Messi has been linked with a return to Barcelona ever since he left for PSG in 2021 after 21 years at the club.

Asked about the rumours after the loss to FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami manager Tata Martino said: “That’s surprising. I know nothing about that.

If you’re telling me that he’s going to go visit Barcelona on vacation, yes, it’s probable, but I don’t have any information on the other part.”

—BBC