Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are reviewing the final details of a contract extension that would keep the Argentine soccer great with the club into at least 2026 and possibly beyond, a person with knowledge of the matter said talks on what will be structured as a multi-year deal have been ongoing for months Nicolás Otamendi Jersey, the person person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither Messi nor the team has revealed Miami had no comment. ESPN and USA Today both reported Wednesday that the deal was close to being Miami has been pushing for Messi to re-sign for some time for countless reasons, but one is that the team desperately wants him to still be on the roster when its new stadium near Miami International Airport is supposed to be opened next year. The team has been selling ticket packages and taking deposits on seats in the new park for more than a year, and it's reasonable to think that demand for such seats would be lower if Messi was no longer on the 38-year-old Messi has 20 goals second-most in the league and 11 assists in Major League Soccer play this joined Inter Miami in July 2023 on a two-and-a-half-year contract Argentina National Team Pro Shop, one that was worth an estimated $150 million at the time. Messi was MLS' MVP last season, even in a year when he missed 15 of Inter Miami's 34 regular-season matches with injuries or commitments to Argentina's national has helped the team win its first two trophies, the Leagues Cup in 2023 and the Supporters' Shield for having the best record in MLS last season.