Massimo Moratti has revealed a sensational backstory from 2012, when he tried to transfer Lionel Messi from Barcelona to Inter. The former president of the neroli club says he made an offer of 500 million euros, an extraordinary figure for the time, but the attempt did not even reach the negotiation stage.
According to Moratti's account, published by Catalan newspaper Sport, he sent Inter's vice-president to Barcelona to present the offer to the Argentine star. However, Messi refused to even learn the details of the proposal.
"I did something crazy in 2012. I made Messi an offer of 500 million euros. At the time, this figure was crazy. I sent Inter's vice-president to Barcelona to negotiate, but Messi didn't even open the letter and didn't know the value of the offer. He rejected it without knowing the details," Moratti confessed.
Moratti says that he then had the opportunity to communicate personally with Messi and received a clear response from the Argentine, who at the time was strongly linked to Barcelona.
"I appreciate your interest in me, but I want to finish my career at Barcelona," Messi told him, according to the former Inter president.
In 2012, Messi was at the peak of his career with Barcelona and, according to Moratti, considered himself a player who would not leave the Catalan club during his career. Inter's attempt, despite the incredible amount, failed to change his attitude.
Messi stayed at Barcelona until 2021. He left as a free agent after the club failed to renew his contract, and then joined Paris Saint-Germain and, subsequently, Inter Miami.
