Lionel Messi transfer news: Messi on next move, retirement admission, Arsenal & Chelsea claims

Lionel Messi has been linked with a temporary switch to the Premier League this winter, with the MLS season already over for Inter Miami, who did not make the playoffs. Messi had quite the impact in South Florida, helping them win their first Leagues Cup title with a number of heroic performances.

But the World Cup winner and legend of the game had a much tougher time trying to drag Miami off the bottom of the table, and they missed out on the playoffs, finishing second from bottom in the Eastern Conference. The playoffs are now ongoing in MLS, but Messi and others who didn't make it are now on holidays. In the meantime, Messi has been linked with a loan switch between the end of the American season and the next one, and here we have rounded up the latest.

Messi verdict on next move

Messi has already spoken about his future plans, or at least his plans for whenever he does decide to leave Inter Miami. The Argentine has long said he wants to represent his home club before he hangs up his boots.

That hasn't changed through the years, and he confirmed his unwilting desire in a recent interview. “I always had the idea of ​​being able to enjoy Argentine football, to play for Newell’s and, even more, to be world champion,” Messi revealed.

January state of play amid Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs rumours

Messi has been linked with a move to the Premier League over recent weeks, with talk he could join Chelsea or another club on a loan deal, given the MLS season is over for Inter Miami until late February.

Though, Guillem Balague has recently claimed there is no consideration of Messi joining another club before the next MLS season. "Messi will have around one month holiday, like other footballers. So forget any move to Saudi or similar," Balague revealed as per BBC Sport.

Retirement admission

Messi recently responded to retirement questions after the conclusion of his first season at Inter Miami. "What am I going to do after I retire? I don’t think about it and I don’t want to think about it,” he said.

“I want to continue to love what I do. I don’t want to think about the future, I want to enjoy it as much as possible. What I love most is playing and playing football.”