World Cup winner Lionel Messi and Spaniard Sergio Busquets may reunite with former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba as Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami are close to signing the left back, reported The Athletic.
Alba, 34, is now a free agent after leaving Barca this year after spending 11 years and appearing in 459 matches throughout his career at the La Liga club.
The veteran left-back also won 16 major titles, including five La Liga, five Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League.
Alba and Busquets represented the Spanish national team for more than nine years until the latter announced his retirement from international football last year.
The Spaniards are set to be announced as Inter Miami players on July 16, while the trio of Messi-Busquets-Alba is expected to make their debut against Cruz Azul in a League Cup match on July 21.
However, the MLS club will have to do some squad shuffling to make way for Messi, Busquets and Alba, as all three will be joining the club as Designated Players.
Miami midfielder Rodolfo Pizarro is expected to leave the club to make way, while the American club would have to create enough room within the salary cap to integrate Alba’s new contract.
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According to new developments, former Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta may as well join Miami to play alongside his former teammates for the one last time.
Iniesta, 39, who joined the Japanese club Vissel Kobe in 2018, has recently ended his five-year contract with the club and has no intention of retiring anytime soon.
The World Cup winner, who shared the pitch with Messi for 16 years, may once again start sharing the field with his former teammate.
However, this entire operation depends if the MLS club can afford the signing of the Spaniard and make way for the 39-year-old.
