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• D.C. United head coach Rooney says addition of Messi is 'going to be great' for MLS

  Count D.C. United head coach Wayne Rooney among the many who are excited about Lionel Messi coming to Major League Soccer.

  After Messi announced on Wednesday that he would be joining Inter Miami CF after his exit from Paris Saint-Germain, Rooney said the move is a major win for MLS.

  "I think it's great, to bring Messi into the league," Rooney said on Thursday. "We've all seen, over the years, the impact of (Inter Miami co-owner) David Beckham coming in, (former Los Angeles Galaxy striker) Zlatan (Ibrahimovic) coming in.

  "Different players from overseas. To get Messi in the league, arguably the greatest player of all time, and still – he’s a little bit older – but not long ago he won the World Cup almost single handed.

  "It's going to be great for the league, for Miami."

  Messi, 35, is expected to make his MLS debut sometime in July, and D.C. hosts Inter Miami on July 8.

  "It'd be nice if we were his first opponents for D.C. fans to see him up close and for us to challenge ourselves against him," Rooney said.

  "One thing I will say – it’s not going to be easy for him. The league's a difficult league and I don't think he's going to come over here and absolutely tear it up immediately.

  "He'll have to adapt because it's a bit different, it won't be an easy ride for him."

  Messi dragged Argentina to their first World Cup success since 1986 in Qatar last year, and the Barcelona great has won the Ballon d'Or trophy a record seven times.

  "He's the best. Simple as that," Rooney said. "In my view he's the best player to ever play the game. That's how he's different.

  "The fanbase around him will be huge, commercially, for the league I'm sure it'll be huge as well. It's massive for MLS. With Messi coming here – I know MLS has always brought players in – but I think it'll do that again, and it shows MLS can compete.

  "It shows it’s a league where people want to come and want to play and it's a huge first step."

• Erling Haaland on a mission to realise Champions League dream with Man City

  Erling Haaland is well aware he was brought to Manchester City to help them win the Champions League.

  City are just one victory away from claiming the prize they covet most but has eluded them time after time with several near misses in recent years.

  Haaland has been key to their latest charge to the final, where they face Inter Milan in Istanbul on Saturday, after a prolific first season at the Etihad Stadium.

  The Norwegian has plundered 52 goals in all competitions since City identified him as the potential final piece in their jigsaw last year and paid £51million to recruit him from Borussia Dortmund.

  “The Premier League, they won it two times in a row before I came here,” said Haaland. “So they know how to win the Premier League.

  “The only thing they miss now is the Champions League. You can think and read between the words and the lines – I have been coming here for a reason.”

  Haaland scored a record 36 Premier League goals as he helped City make it three titles in a row. They followed up that success by winning the FA Cup last weekend.

  Now City are bidding to join rivals Manchester United in the history books by becoming only the second side to win the treble.

  Doing so would see Haaland fulfil a long-held dream of winning the Champions League.

  “I have been dreaming and thinking of it my whole life,” said the 22-year-old. “It has been my dream as long as I can remember, so a long time.

  “Of course I have been thinking of this. There is one game left we have to perform at our best in. We have been doing it now for so many games in a row. It’s about keeping going.”

  Such is Haaland’s love of the Champions League, that he even used to play the competition’s theme music in his car during his younger days.

  “Yes, there is a video of me doing that,” he said. “You can search it up. It’s true.”

  Haaland feels his game has improved at City under the guidance of Pep Guardiola – someone he describes as a “detail freak” – but is convinced there is more to come.

  He said: “I am really enjoying every single day with him, with the intense Pep. I like it.

  “I am still young, I can improve a lot and I am at the perfect place to work with the best coach and players in the world.”

• CWI CEO rubbishes reports of host change for next year’s T20 World Cup- “There’s no truth to it”

  Cricket West Indies has rubbished reports about the International Cricket Council (ICC) possibly asking England to step in and hist next year’s ICC T20 World Cup, originally scheduled to take place in the West Indies and the USA.

  A number of media outlets including CricTracker, Sportskeeda and the Daily Mirror have reported that the venue shift is being considered due to a lack of infrastructure in the USA but CEO of Cricket West Indies, Johnny Grave, denied these claims and questioned the source of the information.

  “No!” was Grave’s answer when asked about the validity of the claims being reported.

  “I don’t know where that’s coming from. I’m in London for the World Test Championship final and I’ll be here again for the ICC Annual General Meeting (AGM) in a few weeks’ time so who knows what the agenda is. There’s no truth to it,” Grave added.

  The West Indies previously hosted the ICC T20 World Cup in 2010.