Lionel Messi reportedly wants Luka Modric alongside him at Inter Miami, with David Beckham said to have already met with the Real Madrid midfielder.

There has been speculation to suggest that veteran Croatian playmaker Modric is being lined up as the next marquee addition at DRV PNK Stadium. He has not figured as regularly for Real this season, with only 205 minutes of La Liga action taken in.

Modric is set to become a free agent at the end of the 2023-24 campaign - while a move in January has been mooted. He is now 38 years of age, but former Blancos star Pedja Mijatovic claims Inter Miami have their sights set on a deal following advice from Messi.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is said to want another star with a Golden Ball to his name by his side in Florida, with Mijatovic telling Cadena SER of Modric: “He has received offers from the United States, from many teams and from this one in particular.

He already had the one in Saudi Arabia but he wanted to stay in Madrid. Messi himself has personally been interested in the possibility. In Croatia, a few days ago, Modric met Beckham, where they were eating.”

Beckham boasts strong ties to Madrid from his playing days, and the ex-Manchester United and England star is now a co-owner at Inter Miami.

He has seen Messi deliver a historic Leagues Cup triumph in Miami, following a stunning move to the United States for the Argentine icon, and there is still a chance that he could deliver qualification for the play-offs through the MLS Eastern Conference.