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Busquets pens deal with Inter Miami to reunite with Messi

You are currently viewing Busquets pens deal with Inter Miami to reunite with Messi
  • Post published:July 17, 2023

Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets will reunite with Lionel Messi after signing a contract with Inter Miami until the 2025 season.

The deal is done a day after Messi signed his own contract with the club. Messi led Argentina to the World Cup title last year in Qatar.

Inter announced last month that they were buying Busquets. He will be playing with Messi again, who he used to play with at Barcelona.

“The one-time World Cup champion, nine-time La Liga winner and former Barca captain will occupy a Designated Player slot and is expected to join the team “in the coming days,” Inter said.

“I am excited to welcome Sergio Busquets to Inter Miami,” managing owner Jorge Mas said in a statement.

“Since day one we have set out to bring the world’s best players to Inter Miami. Sergio’s repertoire speaks for itself.”

Busquets, who is 34 years old, said in May that he would leave Barcelona when his contract was up this year.

He played for Spain 134 times before announcing in December that he was leaving the team.

Busquets has been a key part of Barcelona’s success over the past 15 years, which includes three wins in the Champions League.

Busquets was the third member of a famous midfield trio with Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez. The three of them won the 2010 World Cup with Spain.

“He is one of the smartest players to ever play the sport,” Inter’s sporting director Chris Henderson said. “He reads the game at an unprecedented level and impacts every facet of play.”

Busquets said the move offered a “special and exciting opportunity.”

“I was impressed by the cub when I came with Barcelona last year and now I’m happy and ready to represent the club myself. I can’t wait to help bring the success that this ambitious club strives for.”

The signing comes a day after Messi signed the contract that has football fans in Miami and elsewhere excited, and on the same day that Inter planned to officially introduce him at a “unveiling” at the club’s ground.

Inter Miami is at the bottom of Major League Soccer when Messi and Busquets arrive.

The club hasn’t won in 11 games, and they lost 3-0 at St. Louis City on Saturday. It was their 14th loss in 22 games.

Miami is last in the Eastern Conference, and after their most recent loss, they are also last in the overall standings, coming in at number 29 out of 29 teams.

Messi was supposed to play his first game on Friday against Cruz Azul in the new Leagues Cup. This is a tournament with the best teams from MLS and Liga MX.

Inter said that Busquets will be able to play for the first time in the same game.