Inter Miami ‘Enters Race’ to Hijack Transfer of Former Messi Teammate From Arch Rivals

The Herons are reportedly interested in adding one of the best players in the world from the past decade.

Lionel Messi could potentially reunite with another former Barcelona teammate in South Florida. | Dustin Markland/Getty Images

Antoine Griezmann has long been linked with a move to Major League Soccer, with Orlando City the overwhelming favorite to land the Frenchman in recent months. But reports suggest Inter Miami are prepared to swoop in to hijack the transfer from their bitter Florida rivals.

L’Équipe reports that Griezmann has decided to stay put at Atlético Madrid until the end of the season, meaning any potential move to MLS would have to wait until the start of the league’s summer window in July.

Orlando still hold Griezmann’s discovery rights (the priority to sign him), but his decision to wait until the summer to decide on his future has caught the eye of other potential suitors. According to the report, Inter Miami and CF Montréal have added the two-time Ballon d’Or podium finisher to their shortlist of potential summer recruits.

Weeks ago it seemed like it was only a matter of time before Griezmann was seen donning Orlando’s purple shirt. Now, wearing pink might be in his future. But what changed?

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Why Antoine Griezmann’s Move to Orlando City Stalled

Antoine Griezmann is 90 minutes away from an unprecedented career milestone. | Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

In late February, reports suggested Griezmann was in “advanced talks” to join Orlando, with the team pushing for the transfer to materialize before the end of MLS’s primary transfer window on March 26.

According to ESPN, Orlando were so keen on Griezmann joining the them immediately to avoid a bidding war later in the summer that their offer was entirely dependent on the player joining the club in March.

Griezmann was considering his options, but according to the report, Diego Simeone and Atlético Madrid’s hierarchy intervened to try and convince the club’s all-time leading goalscorer to stay put until the end of the season.

Then, Atlético Madrid vanquished Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semifinals and that all but closed the door on Griezmann leaving Atléti halfway through the season. The Frenchman is an undisputed club legend, but he’s only won one Europa League title during his eight-plus seasons with Los Rojiblancos.

The Copa del Rey represents arguably Griezmann’s last chance of lifting a domestic trophy with Atléti, which would be the perfect send-off for a player that means so much to the club.

“I don’t have to repeat how important Antoine is for us,” Simeone said recently. ”We all know it. He’s in a position where he should get to decide whatever he wants to do.”

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Miami Interested in Messi, Griezmann Reunion

Messi (right) and Griezmann were teammates for two seasons in Barcelona. | Eric Alonso/MB Media/Getty Images

If Miami do end up making a move for the 34-year-old Frenchman in the summer, he’d become Messi’s fourth former Barcelona teammate that joins him in South Florida, following in the footsteps of Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suárez.

Griezmann spent two seasons in Barcelona from 2019–21 playing alongside Messi. It was a turbulent time for the club and the 2020–21 Copa del Rey title was the only trophy they won together during that brief stint together in Catalonia.

Ironically, those were the final two seasons Messi played in Barcelona before his infamous goodbye. Many believed Griezmann would have to step up into a more prominent role upon Messi’s departure, but the Frenchman left on loan back to Atlético Madrid later that same summer, in another desperate Barça attempt to try and stabilize their dismal financial situation.

Half a decade later, the pair of World Cup champions could potentially share the pitch together again. Although it must be said, Miami would have to get creative or make a significant roster moves to make Griezmann’s transfer viable.

As of right now, if Griezmann does eventually land in Florida, it’s still more likely he does it with the purple side of the rivalry.

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