After luring Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets from Europe, Inter Miami seems to be planning to bring two of their former teammates Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez as well.
After snubbing a return to Barcelona and a lucrative contract with Saudi club Al Hilal, Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami on a free transfer. The move is widely considered by many to be the best-ever transfer to the league, one that is certain to boost the revenue and popularity of the MLS to new heights.
Following this, the David Beckham co-owned club also brought former Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets after he left the Catalans for free. Miami has also appointed former Argentina and Barcelona coach Tata Martino to become their new coach.
Lionel Messi’s bond with Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez
But Inter Miami will likely not stop with just these signings. The president of the club Jorge Mas has confirmed plans to bring Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba.
He said in an interview with El Pais, “Two or three more players will come. We spoke with Jordi Alba — while Luis Suarez has a contract and a release clause. I don’t know if that will happen or not. All the announcements will be made before July 15.”
Inter Miami president Jorge Mas: “Two or three more players will come. We spoke with Jordi Alba — while Luis Suarez has a contract and a release clause. I don't know if that will happen or not”, told El Pais. 👚🇺🇸 #InterMiami
“All the announcements will be made before July 15”. pic.twitter.com/F7d9rR742H
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 2, 2023
Clearly, the club is using Messi’s recent move to the club to bring all these former teammates of his. Messi will probably be happy being surrounded by so many of his former teammates again.
Messi shares an excellent relationship off the pitch with both Suarez and Alba. The trio shared the pitch at Barcelona, where they won so many trophies together.
Alba shared the dressing room with Messi from 2012 to 2021. The two were prolific on the pitch, with Alba often cutting back on the left side to feed Messi with the ball. Together they caused havoc for the opposition teams.
But the two are also great friends, often meeting up for dinner in Barcelona. They can be seen together several times, as showcased by their Instagram photos.
Suarez was at one point Messi’s closest friend at Barca. After joining in 2014, the two became immediate friends, owing to their South American heritage. Even after parting ways in Barcelona, the two continue to keep tabs on each other.
Suarez is considered to be one of Messi’s best friends. The two regularly take vacations together with their families. Their wives are also said to be in close contact with each other.
Can Inter Miami sign Luis Suarez to partner Lionel Messi
Jordi Alba has also left Barcelona on a free transfer and has begun talks with Inter Miami. It looks quite certain he will move there, as both Busquets and Messi are there.
But Luis Suarez could be a more uncertain case. After leaving Europe, Suarez nowadays plays for the Brazilian club Gremio. He joined in January this year and his contract will run until December 2024. He is also performing well for the club, having scored 4 goals and 3 assists in just 11 games.
This means that Gremio will most likely not want to let him leave for free and may demand a significant transfer fee. Inter Miami could be unwilling to pay a transfer fee as they will already have to pay some big salaries.
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
Furthermore, previous reports suggested Suarez could retire from football due to discomfort in his right knee. Though there is no confirmation of those reports yet.
It remains to be seen if the club manages to bring the old Barcelona band back together. More stars could also join the club in the coming days as the MLS continues to be a favorite destination among Europe’s best.
