Euro giants ‘make groundbreaking move’ to sign Lionel Messi in ‘surprise’ development
Galatasaray have ambitious plans to sign Argentina superstar Lionel Messi from Inter Miami on loan during the winter transfer window, according to reports.
The Barcelona legend moved to the United States in 2023 to join Inter Miami from French side Paris Saint-Germain with Messi scoring 74 times in 84 appearances for the Major League Soccer side.
However, there have been rumours that Messi could consider a loan move to Europe as he looks to keep sharp ahead of the World Cup in North America next year.
There have been other clubs linked in the past few months with Serie A side Como one of the most recent sides to reportedly outline their interest in Messi.
And now Turkish outlet Fotomac has claimed that Turkish giants Galatasaray have ‘made a groundbreaking move’ for Messi in a ‘surprise’ attempt to sign the Argentinian on loan for four months.
Galatasaray are ‘interested’ and it is understood that Messi ‘could be transferred to the yellow-reds for four months after the break in MLS due to the 2026 World Cup’.
READ: Lionel Messi signs new Inter Miami contract: The GOAT quashes retirement speculation
Cristiano Ronaldo recently claimed that the World Cup is not something he is overly concerned about when it comes to defining his legacy in football.
Ronaldo said: “If you ask me, Cristiano, is it a dream to win the World Cup? No, it’s not a dream. To define if I’m one of the best of the history, to win one competition, [of] six games, seven games. You think it’s fair?”
Messi, who won the last World Cup in 2022 with Argentina, disagrees with Ronaldo as he thinks winning the competition is the “ultimate achievement” in football.
The Argentina international said at the America Business Forum in Florida: “The truth is that explaining the feelings of that moment is difficult. It’s hard to put into words what that title meant, on a personal level, on a family level, for my team-mates, and for the country. It was clear how the country celebrated, the need and the desire we had for it to happen again after so much time had passed.”
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He added: “For me it was special. First, because for a player, winning the World Cup is the ultimate achievement. It’s like anyone in their job, any professional reaching the top. There’s nothing more after the World Cup. You can’t ask for anything more.
“And on top of that, I had been lucky enough to have achieved everything before. At the club level, at the individual level. We had also won the Copa América with the national team. That was the missing piece. It was like closing out my entire career with that trophy.”
Messi continued: “When I won the World Cup at the professional level, like I said, I’m not comparing, but all things considered, I had the same feeling as when my children were born.
“A feeling that, well, I was lucky enough to experience, you know what it means, and it’s hard to explain what it feels like at that moment. It’s so special and so immense that everything that follows falls short.”
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