Featured Image Credit: Messi Xtra via Twitter
Topics: Football, Transfers, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Inter Miami, MLS
Chris Byfield
Topics: Football, Transfers, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Inter Miami, MLS
A video of Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets training together at Inter Miami has gone viral.
Messi has taken part in his first week of training after being unveiled as an Miami player on Sunday in a glitzy ceremony in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, that left the packed stadium soaked after a downpour.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner put pen to paper on a lucrative deal with Miami that runs to 2025 and will reportedly see him paid between $50million (£38million) and $60million (£46million) a year.
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"I'm very much moved to be here in Miami, to be with you. I want to thank you, all of you, on behalf of my family, for the kindness that you have given me," he said.
As well as securing Messi’s signature, Miami have announced the signing of Busquets on a two-year deal and the arrival of Spain defender Jordi Alba.
The trio were central cogs in some of Barcelona’s greatest-ever teams and will be hoping to recreate some of that success in Miami. The club is currently in last place in the MLS’ Eastern Conference grappling with an 11-game losing streak.
Indeed, Miami’s fans will be encouraged by the training footage that has emerged of Messi and Busquets.
A clip, which can be viewed above, of the pair playing a game of head tennis at their new club has gone viral.
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Messi appears to win both points that feature in the clip, yet the standard of the duo, who have won a World Cup apiece, is impeccable.
On Messi’s link-up with Busquets, one person tweeted: “First time he’s enjoying football outside of Argentina and Qatar in two years.”
Another wrote: “A match made in heaven.”
A third person commented with a Blues Brother GIF, in which Jake Blues exclaims: “We’re getting the band back together.”
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And the latter statement may in fact, be the case. Indeed, US reports have linked Miami with another former Barcelona player - 36-year-old Uruguay striker Luis Suarez, who is currently plying his trade for Brazil side Gremio.
Suarez played alongside Messi, Busquets and Alba during six seasons at Barcelona between 2014 and 2020.
On the matter Miami owner Jorge Mas said on Tuesday: "There's been a lot of talk about Luis Suarez coming. We haven't held direct talks with Gremio or with Suarez.
“I don't know how Luis Suarez can leave Gremio. But if he does, we are free to talk to Luis and bring him to Inter Miami. That possibility would be there."