Messi buys US property, is MLS move imminent?

FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi has refused to speak about his future with the club until the end of the season. While club officials have constantly claimed that they are determined to convince him to stay, the latest reports point to a clue that he might be considering a career in the United States playing in Major League Soccer (MLS).

The Argentine forward reportedly bought a luxury apartment located near downtown Miami. The Sunny Isles Beach property has four bedrooms, four bathrooms and sweepingly spectacular sea views. Marca shared the scoop along with some photos of the alleged new acquisition.

The property boasts 511 square meters of indoor space and 195 square meters of terrace space. The complex has enviable amenities including a 1,000-bottle wine cooler, six pools, a spa, cabanas, a fitness centre, yoga studio, children's playhouse, a chef's kitchen and a champagne bar and wine cellar. The apartment reportedly set the Argentine back by 7.3 millions euros.

Last summer, after shocking the world with his request to move away from Barcelona, Messi gave an interview saying that he is interested in a possible move to the United States. However, he admitted that his wife and children are not keen on uprooting themselves from the life they built in Catalunya.

Nevertheless, a move to the United States is something that the player himself considered to be an interesting option. Add to that the fact that MLS side Inter Miami owner David Beckham has suggested that he is keen on signing both Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to his club.

Numerous European superstars had previously been attracted to play in the MLS including Beckham himself. Other stars like Frank Lampard, Xavi, Thierry Henry, Raul and Gonzalo Higuain have also been drawn to the growing competition on the other side of the globe over the years.

Will Messi be the next big La Liga star to make his way to the United States? Anything can still happen. His father and manager Jorge Messi reportedly flew to Barcelona last week, but before then, he was reportedly in Miami. There are a lot of clues to give reason to believe that a move to the MLS is brewing, but Messi's camp has remained quiet.

Barcelona recently won the Copa del Rey and are still strong contenders for the La Liga trophy. It remains to be seen if Laporta will have enough to convince his captain to change his mind about leaving.