India, Sept. 20 -- Lionel Messi is closing in on extending his stay at Inter Miami, which will end hopes for many fans of seeing him return to Europe's top leagues. Messi, who is at the fag end of his career, has been instrumental in boosting Major League Soccer's global profile since joining the club. The Argentine football icon has brought attention to the MLS, which they have been missing for the past many years, as his arrival also opened doors for other clubs to sign big names like Thomas Muller and Heung Min Son.

He joined Inter Miami in July 2023 on a 2 1/2-year contract, one that was worth an estimated USD 150 million at the time. Messi was MLS' MVP last season, even in a year where he missed 15 of Inter Miami's 34 regular-season...