Soccer legend Lionel Messi says he'll join Inter Miami

The backdrop: Messi spent the past two years with Paris Saint-Germain, winning two Ligue 1 titles.

The big picture: A potential return to Barcelona, where he played for 17 years, had been rumored alongside the lucrative offer to head to Saudi Arabia.

• "If Barcelona didn't work out, I wanted to leave Europe, get out of the spotlight and think more about myself," Messi said in an interview with Spanish media.
• Barça said in a statement that it understood and respected Messi's decision "to compete in a league with fewer demands, further away from the spotlight and the pressure he has been subject to in recent years."

Of note: Messi, the seven-time world player of the year, said in an interview with Spanish outlets SPORT and Mundo Deportivo that the deal with Miami is not officially done, but he intends to join the club.

What they're saying: "We look forward to welcoming one of the greatest soccer players of all time to our League," MLS said in a statement.

• The David Beckham co-owned Miami posted a video teasing news that Messi would join the club.

State of play: Messi was reportedly tempted not only by Miami's lifestyle, but additional deals with brands like Adidas and Apple.

• Apple holds exclusive MLS streaming rights, and the tech giant will share revenue generated by new subscribers to MLS Season Pass with Messi, per The Athletic.
• A profit-sharing agreement with Adidas, one of MLS’ largest corporate sponsors, is also expected.

Editor's note: This story was updated with Messi's interview and statements from MLS and Barcelona.