And now, according to TyC Sports, Messi is heading home to Florida to prepare for pre-season with Inter Miami, where the Herons will spend the winter on an epic tour.

Tata Martino’s side will travel to the likes of Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia this pre-season, where Inter Miami will be hopeful of making the play-offs next season.

Indeed, Messi’s fitness will be important if Inter Miami are to succeed this year, and the attacker returning to Florida already for pre-season is an encouraging sign.

Inter Miami need to keep Lionel Messi fit during pre-season

As mentioned, Inter Miami’s hopes of success in 2024 hang on Messi being fit and firing for the key fixtures and periods of the season.

And this pre-season has to be one where Inter Miami do all they can to keep Messi fit, with the Argentine too good to not be at risk of more time out on the treatment table.

Indeed, we all saw what happened last season when Messi’s injuries got the better of him, and Inter Miami need to make a real effort to put the Argentine’s welfare first for the 2024 MLS season.