Inter Miami want to build team around Lionel Messi with five signings that have played with him
All five transfer targets have played with Lionel Messi for either club or country.
Inter Miami will attempt to sign five players who have previously played with Lionel Messi for club or country.
After much speculation surrounding his next move, Messi finally confirmed his much-talked about transfer to Major League Soccer on Wednesday during an interview with Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo.
"I will not return to Barcelona, I will join Inter Miami," he said. "After winning the World Cup and not being able to go to Barca, it was time to go to the United States to live football in a different way and enjoy more day to day."
Messi, who was heavily linked with a €500m (£434m) per season move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal, could be joined in South Florida by some old teammates and current ones, too.
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Inter Miami will 'start negotiations' with Messi's former Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba over potential moves, according to TyC Sports reporter Gaston Edul.
The MLS club are looking to build their team around Messi and clearly, they want some experienced heads to join the ranks alongside arguably the greatest player of all time.
As well as Suarez, Busquets and Alba, the club co-owned by David Beckham are being linked with two Argentina internationals.
César Luis Merlo, who also works for TyC Sports, has named Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes as other potential targets – two players that also played alongside Messi at Paris Saint-Germain.
Back in April, Paredes showed journalists around his home when someone pointed out the La Liga 2020-21 Best Player award that sits pride of place on his shelf.
When asked how he came to be in possession of the trophy, Paredes said: "He [Messi] arrived in Paris, I asked him if he would give it to me and he gave it to me.”
Di Maria, meanwhile, recently tipped Messi to play in the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
“I no longer dream of the next World Cup,” he told ESPN. “I believe in the next Copa América, I will do everything possible, but I would love to be there.
"Leo has to be in the next World Cup, yes or yes. He’s Leo. Seven Ballon d’Or’s, Champions League, he won everything with Barcelona. He’s the best in history.”
Thoughts on Inter Miami going for Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes?
Let us know in the comments.
Topics: Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria, Argentina, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, Barcelona, Jordi Alba, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami, Major League Soccer
Jack Kenmare