Lionel Messi 'calls' former Man United player to try and convince him to join Inter Miami

Lionel Messi has reportedly called a former Manchester United player to try and lure him to Inter Miami.

During the summer transfer window, Argentine great Messi ditched European football after leaving Paris Saint Germain to join MLS side Inter Miami, who are partly owned by former England captain David Beckham.

Since Messi’s arrival, the popularity of Inter Miami and football in the United States has grown massively.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has since been joined by former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and most recently, Luis Suarez.

Last week, it was confirmed that Suarez has joined Inter Miami after leaving Brazilian club Gremio.

Now, Messi is reportedly eyeing up another former teammate.

According to Hernan Castillo of Continental 590 radio in Argentina, Messi and Inter Miami boss Tata Martino have both reached out to former United defender Marcos Rojo over the phone.

It has been claimed that Messi phoned Rojo in a bid to persuade him to join Inter Miami.

However, it is believed that the MLS outfit will face competition from Brazilian club Palmeiras in the race for Rojo’s signature.

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33-year-old Rojo is currently playing for Argentine club Boca Juniors, having previously played in the Premier League for the Red Devils.

Back in 2014, Rojo joined United for a reported fee of £16 million from Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon.

The centre-back went on to make 122 appearances across all competitions for the Old Trafford club, scoring two goals.

During his time in Manchester, Rojo got his hands on the FA Cup, EFL Cup, FA Community Shield and the UEFA Europa League.

On the international stage, Rojo has played 61 times for his country, scoring on three occasions. Rojo was part of the squad when Argentina came second in the 2014 World Cup and the Copa America in 2015 and 2016.