Lionel Messi could well be on the verge of reforming the core of one of world football’s most dominant and successful teams ever.
The World Cup winner’s move to MLS with Inter Miami has been the year’s – and potentially the league’s all-time – biggest transfer.
As the immense projected financial impact of Messi’s impending arrival has been pored over, and the prestige and quality he’ll add to MLS lauded, things could be about to get even more otherworldly for US soccer fans.
Is Sergio Busquets about to reunite with Lionel Messi in Miami?
Sergio Busquets, Messi’s team-mate of 13 seasons at Barca and himself a World Cup winner with Spain, looks set to put pen to paper on a deal with Miami that would see him commit for the remainder of the current season and the following two campaigns.
The duo’s devastating impact at Barcelona in the time they shared there is truly impressive. Eight La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey triumphs and six Supercopa de España winners’ medals were all built on the Messi-Busquets axis.
On the European stage, the pair enjoyed lifting the Champions League trophy a remarkable three times together, as well as celebrating winning three FIFA Club World Cups and three UEFA Súper Cups.
Now, MLS could be set to witness the Barca legends playing together, in the flesh.
The only obstacle that stands between this most tantalising of reunions is the same one which cast doubt over whether Messi would make it to Miami. Busquets has an astronomical offer from a Saudi club, which threatened to derail his apparently nearly-done deal to head to the States.
However, Spanish media are adamant a deal is now done with Miami, and that Busquets’ representatives are merely ironing out the formalities on his contract there, with Mundo Deportivo stating on Friday that an announcement was only “hours away”.
Busquets would join Miami as a Designated Player, as Messi will, and at a time where the franchise is in desperate need of an invigorating shot of world-class talent.
They currently sit rock-bottom of the Eastern Conference with just five wins from 17 games, are under the leadership of an interim head coach after sacking Phil Neville at the start of June, and are the only team in the Eastern to currently average less than one point per game.
Busquets ended his 18-year association with Barca this summer when his latest contract with them ran out, deciding to take on a new challenge after winning everything on offer multiple times in a trophy-laden period of sustained winning. He didn’t indicate at the time where he would be heading, only that he would be leaving the Spanish club.
According to Spanish outlet Sport, Al-Ahli are the Saudi Pro League outfit who are trying to tempt Busquets, with an offer that triples the one he has received from Miami.
A host of high-profile players including Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Ruben Neves have all recently signed big-money deals to join Saudi clubs, with a number of other top European players being linked to the league this summer.
However, sources close to Busquets say he is firm in his decision to team up again with Messi, and that we can expect confirmation of his Miami move any day now.
Written and distributed by Chat T Sports.
