The Mirror reported that Lionel Messi has asked Inter Miami to sign Angel Di Maria, not Kevin De Bruyne, in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Di Maria, like De Bruyne, will be without a club next June after his contract with Benfica expires. He has received offers from Mexico and some Arab clubs, with Inter Miami the latest to be interested.
According to the report, Messi has informed Inter Miami officials that he hopes to play alongside Di Maria next season and prefers him over any other proposed deal.
The American club’s management will ultimately have to choose between Di Maria and De Bruyne, and given Messi’s opinion, it is likely they will favor his 37-year-old compatriot.
The signing of Di Maria would be a continuation of Inter Miami’s policy of attracting stars with close ties to Messi, as has happened with the deals for Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets in the last two years.
Thus, De Bruyne’s most likely destination upon leaving City would be a move to the Saudi League, specifically to NEOM FC, which is the club most interested in securing his services.
