‘He’s getting a lot of money!’ - Lionel Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami excites Heat stars Jimmy Butler & Kyle Lowry as they chase down NBA Finals glory

• Argentine icon leaving PSG as a free agent
• Taking on a new challenge in the United States
• Miami enjoying success in other sports at present

WHAT HAPPENED? The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has announced that, as he prepares to sever ties with Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent, he will be linking up with Inter Miami this summer. The imminent arrival of the all-time great at DRV PNK Stadium is generating plenty of fanfare, with leading figures from other ball games in the region looking forward to having Messi on board in the Sunshine State.

WHAT THEY SAID: NBA superstar Butler, who is currently chasing down Finals glory with the Heat in 2023, has said of Messi’s move to America: “He’s one of the greatest players to play that beautiful game. I’m so excited for the city of Miami to be able to have a player of that calibre here. Now that he’s here, I think all the football/soccer fans from all over the world are going to come here and get an opportunity to watch him compete. I’m glad he’s here. Will I reach out? Probably not. I know he has probably got a ton of stuff going on anyway. He is coming over here to do something special for this city. I’m happy that he is here, though. I really am. I know we will link whenever he is here.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Lowry, who admits to having donned a Messi jersey during the 2022 World Cup final that saw Argentina emerge victorious in Qatar, added on welcoming the legendary South American to the U.S.: “Man, he’s getting a lot of money. It’s going to be awesome … I’m a Messi fan. MLS is a great league. I think they understand how to put the product out there. Bringing one of the world’s greatest football players out there, bringing him here, is going to be awesome. He’s going to bring a different fan base. He’s going to get some more revenue going. It’s going to be a great atmosphere when they get that stadium built. The fans are going to enjoy it. I think it’s great for soccer in America, especially down here in Miami.”

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IN THREE PHOTOS:

(C)GOAL

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WHAT NEXT? Messi’s move to Miami will see him link up with David Beckham, with the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and England star now co-owner of a MLS expansion franchise that launched in 2020. He is desperate for a spark in what is proving to be a testing 2023 campaign.