Lionel Messi will not join another team on loan when the Major League Soccer season ends, says Guillem Balague.

It has been reported that Inter Miami’s captain, 36, is interested in returning to Barcelona and joining the Saudi Pro League.

As a result of Saturday’s 1-0 loss to FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami are out of the play-off race. Their season ends on 21 October.

Due to an injury, Messi has only played 72 minutes in the MLS since early September.

Messi will take a month’s break after the MLS regular season ends after Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil on 17 and 22 November.

As with other footballers, Messi will have a month off, so forget about any move to Saudi Arabia,” says Spanish football expert Balague.

The MLS new season begins in February, and he will return to Miami for pre-season.

After joining Inter Miami from Paris St-Germain in July, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner helped the club win their first Leagues Cup in August before losing the US Open Cup in September.

Although he has scored 11 goals in 13 games for the side, only one of those has come in MLS.

Ever since Messi left Barcelona for PSG in 2021, after 21 years at the club, he has been linked with a return.