Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi admits he was attracted to joining Cristiano Ronaldo in 'very powerful' Saudi Pro League before his transfer to MLS

Messi joined MLS side Inter Miami on a free transfer in the summer after leaving Paris Saint-Germain. The World Cup winner has gone on to have a huge impact on U.S. soccer, winning the Leagues Cup and helping tempt former Barcelona team-mates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets to the club. Messi has now confirmed that he did have the option to move to the Saudi Pro League instead, and did consider the possibility of following eternal rival Ronaldo to the Middle East.

Messi told Time: "My first option was to return to Barcelona, but it was not possible. I tried to return, and it did not happen.It is also true that later I was thinking a lot about going to the Saudi league, where I know the country and they have created a very powerful competition that can become an important league in the near future.It was Saudi Arabia or MLS, and both options seemed very interesting to me."

The Saudi Pro League has invested heavily to bring in top names such as Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema, but failed to land Messi despite lucrative offers being made. Messi opted for the United States instead, where his impact has also been felt off the field. Inter Miami have reportedly already sold out of 2024 season tickets despite hiking up their prices due to Messi's arrival. The presence of the Argentine superstar in the United States has seen a surge in interest in the sport, with A-listers such as LeBron James and Kim Kardashian coming to watch him play.

Messi is currently enjoying a rare break following the end of the MLS campaign but has been spotted working hard in the gym during the offseason. The Herons are due to return to action and play their first pre-season friendly on January 19 against El Salvador. Messi may have been joined by another former Barca team-mate by that time. Luis Suarez is expected to join him in Miami for one season, although he has recently hinted at retiring due to a troubling knee issue.