The Messi effect continues to attract big-name stars to MLS.
Veteran midfielder De Bruyne is the most likely candidate to join San Diego FC, a newcomer to the MLS (Major League Soccer), after this season concludes. The 33-year-old Belgian star proactively announced his departure from Manchester City when his contract expires on June 30th. He will choose to play in the United States for the next stage of his career, rather than in Saudi Arabia as some rumors suggested, according to AS .
De Bruyne chose to move to MLS to face Messi.
Photo: Reuters
"De Bruyne has been linked with San Diego FC since last summer. Several sources confirm that the Belgian player has reached a preliminary agreement with the American team, but he is still waiting for a signal from Man City regarding a contract extension. However, Man City has remained silent until now, forcing him to make the decision to leave and choose a destination in the United States. Messi is there, and it promises to attract even more stars from this summer onwards," AS further revealed.
Accordingly, it's not just De Bruyne; several other big-name players currently playing in European national leagues, who are no longer likely to have their contracts renewed by their clubs, have chosen to move to teams in the MLS.
This includes Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann, who is linked with a move to Los Angeles FC along with two former French national team teammates, goalkeeper Lloris and striker Giroud, or to Inter Miami alongside Messi.
Veteran midfielder Thomas Muller has also confirmed his departure from Bayern Munich in Germany. The 35-year-old star is currently attracting interest from a number of MLS clubs, including FC Cincinnati, San Diego FC, and Los Angeles FC.
Another surprising name is Liverpool's top center-back, Virgil van Dijk, who could also choose to play in MLS, while several clubs in Saudi Arabia have also made offers.
Thanks to Messi's influence, many top players are considering MLS as a destination.
Photo: Reuters
Virgil van Dijk, along with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, are three players whose contracts with Anfield are about to expire. However, only top scorer Salah is likely to be retained by Liverpool, according to AS .
While Alexander-Arnold has chosen to join Real Madrid, only Virgil van Dijk's future remains uncertain. Several MLS clubs have therefore entered the race, seeking to negotiate and hoping to bring this outstanding central defender to play in the United States.
Meanwhile, it is also highly likely that in June of this year, when star Neymar's short-term contract with Santos expires, he will return to his original intention of joining Inter Miami along with his close friend Messi.
Neymar returned to Brazil to play for Santos, where he has played 7 matches so far, scoring 3 goals and providing 3 assists. However, he has been sidelined again due to injury. Santos fans, who had high hopes, have become very disappointed, making it difficult for the 33-year-old to stay with the club where he started his career.
Neymar himself has yet to make an official move regarding a long-term commitment to Santos after signing a short-term six-month contract. He could very well choose a new destination after this contract expires on June 30th.
According to AS , a move to Inter Miami with Messi is entirely possible. Messi's contract with Inter Miami expires at the end of 2025, but there is a high probability that the 37-year-old star will sign a contract extension for at least another year, until after the 2026 World Cup.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/de-bruyne-den-mls-doi-dau-voi-messi-con-co-4-ngoi-sao-khac-la-ai-185250406105731549.htm
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