Lionel Messi Faces Awkward Reunion With Player He Once 'Forced Out of Squad'

Lionel Messi will reunite with a former teammate if he completes a 'groundbreaking' move after the MLS break, although reports of tensions between the pair have previously circulated.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, who has notched 32 goals and 20 assists for Inter Miami in 2025, penned a contract extension with the Herons last month – a deal which keeps him in the MLS until the end of the 2028 season.

In the not-so-distant past, Messi claimed Inter Miami would be his last club and, unlike former MLS players David Beckham and Thierry Henry, he has resisted the opportunity to leave during the off-season.

But that could potentially change in 2026, after Turkish outlet Fotomac suggested Galatasaray are showing interest in signing the 38-year-old forward on loan during the MLS break, which runs between December and February.

Messi is being linked with a move to Turkish giants Galatasaray. Image credit: Getty

Galatasaray are willing to pay Messi's entire salary, according to the report, who claim management are 'closely monitoring' his situation.

It is also claimed that they are interested in a four-month loan deal for the Argentine, which would see him finish the 2025-26 season playing in Europe and miss the start of the new MLS campaign.

Lionel Messi would play alongside former Argentina international if move materialised

If he signs for Galatasaray, then Messi would reunite with former Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain teammate Mauro Icardi.

Icardi, who joined the Turkish side from PSG, was memorably left out of Argentina's World Cup squad by Jorge Sampaoli in 2018, despite scoring 29 goals in 34 games in Italy's top flight that season.

At the time, a report from The Mirror claimed his omission from La Albiceleste's 23-man squad was because he was not part of Messi's so-called 'clan'.

In fact, former Argentina striker Hernan Crespo suggested Icardi was being overlooked by the national team because he sat outside of Messi’s “magic circle”.

“It seems to me that Icardi is not one of Messi’s friends," Crespo told Gazzetta dello Sport in 2018, as per GOAL.

“The national team is now made up of a magic circle, do you understand me? Icardi is not part of the circle and therefore, unfortunately, he will not go to the World Cup in Russia. This is my opinion.

“The team needs a striker like him, but [Jorge] Sampaoli and Messi think otherwise.”

Messi and Icardi pictured on international duty in 2017. Image credit: Getty

Crespo added: “In the penalty area, no other player in the world is as good as him. When he gets the ball, he’s deadly. Of course, if you want to build a move from deep, then [Sergio] Aguero is more suitable.

“After Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who are both from another planet, there are many strikers who could potentially be considered as the third best in the world. In my opinion, Icardi should definitely be considered among them.”

Icardi has previously downplayed claims of a rift with Messi.

“I knew [Messi] at Barcelona years ago. I let people talk. These are things we cannot avoid," he told Canal+. “I do not believe in these stories. I was able to meet him, he is the best player in the world. I appreciate him enormously."