Inter Miami looks set to clinch the signing of Celta de Vigo star Tadeo Allende after the winger spoke of his “dream” to play alongside Lionel Messi.
It is believed that the 25-year-old has agreed to join Javier Mascherano’s team in the coming days. Sources close to Diario AS say that the Argentinian star now plans to travel to Miami to put pen to paper with the ‘Herons’ and realize his ambition of sharing a pitch with his iconic compatriot.
Allende only signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Celta in January 2024. However after just 13 appearances for the La Liga side, it appears he is now set to swap Galicia for Florida and continue his career in the MLS.
Messi’s gigantic stature in the game, let alone in Argentina, will no doubt have helped sway Allende’s decision to choose the US as his next destination. It’s rumored that teams such as Spanish sides Granada and Zaragoza, Italian Serie B outfit Palermo and Argentinian Primera Division team Talleres de Córdoba all expressed their desire to land the midfielder, but Messi’s pull has seemingly helped Miami move ahead of the pack.
According to AS, Miami has now intensified their pursuit of Allende after an initial ploy to sign him on loan was rebuffed by Celta. However, after talks progressed it’s understood that the complexities of Allende’s move are still being fleshed out with a source close to the deal saying “several options are being worked on”.
While the player’s priority was to continue in Europe, it looks like the incentive to play with Messi has performed a significant part in his decision to move to North America. “I dream of meeting Messi,” Allende said in 2023. “I would give anything to be at least in a practice with him or sit down [with him].”
In a cruel twist of fate, should Allende make the switch to Miami, he may not actually have long to spend with Messi. While the World Cup winning legend has had a transformative effect on Miami since his arrival in July 2023, and despite being the team’s linchpin, there has been utterings that he may look to leave at the end of his current contract, which runs until 2025.
Despite Messi’s apparent satisfaction with his life in North America, the abrupt end to Miami’s season must have been a bitter pill to swallow for the former PSG star. The team’s shocking playoff loss in their opening-round series against Atlanta has been labeled as the “biggest upset in MLS playoff history” and was a crushing blow after they dominated the Eastern Conference with a record 74 points.
However, Miami owner Jorge Mas is confident that Lionel Messi will remain with the franchise. There have also been whispers that Messi could look to extend his Miami stay until after the 2026 World Cup.
Speaking at the draw for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Mas said: “As I said before, I’m very confident that he’ll be opening our new stadium in ’26. I’ll be sitting with Leo, you know, now at some point in the offseason. And I’m optimistic that as long as Leo’s health holds up, that we’ll be seeing him in pink.”
Meanwhile Messi’s former Barcelona teammate, Andrés Iniesta believes Messi could end up staying in Miami with the 37-year-old having found “happiness” in Florida. “I would say he has found an environment where he feels comfortable, where he feels at ease,” Iniesta said to ESPN. “He is in a project that excites him, a project with an ambition to grow and he is surrounded by great players. I would say that what is reflected on the field is the happiness with which he is living that project, until the day he decides to stop.”
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