A surprise Champions League club are plotting a sensational swoop for Inter Miami star Lionel Messi in January on a short-term loan deal.
Messi is currently flying in the MLS and recently won their top goalscorer award after hitting 29 goals during the regular season campaign, five more than his closest rivals Denis Bouanga and Sam Surridge.
The season is now entering the playoff stages, which is set to run until December, but following that there is no domestic action in the United States until March, and it has now emerged that European clubs are hoping to take advantage of that by giving Messi a platform to stay sharp and fit ahead of his nation defending their World Cup crown next summer.
Galatasaray Plotting Shock Swoop for Lionel Messi
Messi was the star man as Argentina won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and the tournament in June 2026 is expected to be his last for the national team.
The legendary forward wants to stay sharp, and that could lead to him considering a short-term loan move back to Europe to continue playing, and Galatasaray are ready to add him to their star-studded squad as a result. according to popular Turkish outlet Fotomac, via Mundo Deportivo.
During the summer transfer window, the Istanbul club added the likes of Victor Osimhen, Leroy Sane and Ilkay Gundogan to their side on permanent deals, proving their intent to become one of the top clubs on the continent, and reports suggest that they are now preparing to offer Messi and Inter Miami a short-term solution during the winter.
The club's hierarchy are seriously considering an offer for the 38-year-old, with chiefs 'closely monitoring' his situation ahead of the January transfer window opening. They would also potentially be able to offer him Champions League football, with the club currently sitting in ninth place at the halfway stage of the League Phase with three wins from four games.
Inter Miami's season could shockingly end as soon as this weekend, with Messi's side set to take on Nashville in their third game of the first-round, with both teams earning a victory each in the best-of-three series up to this point. Should Nashville claim victory, Messi wouldn't be expected to play for Inter Miami again until March 2026 when the new season starts.
A loan to Europe is something the likes of David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have previously used to stay sharp ahead of international tournaments, so Messi's situation isn't totally unprecedented, but it would be a huge coup for Galatasaray to be able to bring such a star to Turkey.