Messi set to reunite with former teammate at Inter Miami after denying pact
Jordi Alba is set to follow in the footsteps of Lionel Messi to join the growing contingent of former Barcelona stars at Inter Miami.
The Spain captain departed Camp Nou at the end of the season following a glorious decade at the club which saw him win six La Liga titles and one Champions League triumph. The veteran left-back will now join forward Messi, midfield maestro Sergio Busquets and head coach Tata Martino at South Beach as the former Blaugrana stars head for a new chapter stateside, according to the Miami Herald.
That is despite Messi previously denying that a "pact" was in place over a reunion with his former teammates this summer. In reference to previous reports that he could move to the Saudi Pro League, he told Sport : "It’s another of the things they said, that I was going with Busi [Sergio Busquets] and Jordi [Alba] to Saudi Arabia, that we had everything arranged.
"I was obviously aware of them, what they were going to do, but we never agreed to go anywhere together."
The deal is the latest coup for the ambitious MLS outfit, who are looking to kickstart their season following a torrid start to the campaign which saw former Lionesses boss Phil Neville lose his job. With Martino waiting in the wings to succeed the former Manchester United man as head coach, club chiefs will be hoping the ex-Argentina coach can turn things around in the second half of the season.
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Still rooted to the bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference after one win in 10 outings, the franchise's new star signings will have their work cut out for them to make the playoffs and sit nine points off Montreal in the final spot. Incoming 93-time capped Alba is expected to sign a two-and-a-half year deal and will take a significant pay-cut to move to DRV PNK Stadium.
The former Valencia full-back was earning some $24 million (£18.8 million) a year in Spain before the conclusion of his final contract at Barcelona but is not expected to be a Designated Player for Vice City. Unlike fellow new recruits Messi and Busquets, it is thought that the diminutive star will instead sign a regular deal which will see him earn a maximum of $612,500 ($480,000) per year.
Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets are set to reunited at Inter Miami after spending many years playing together at FC Barcelona (Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)His signing will also ease the pressure in his position with current incumbent Franco Negri having been ruled out for the season through injury. Having made 459 appearances during his time with Barcelona, Alba will undoubtedly add some much-needed experience to Martino's ranks.
The Catalan left-back was recently seen on holiday with his future teammate Busquets, with the two Blaugrana icons having both departed the club at the end of the season. The duo could reunite to considerable fanfare at an unveiling ceremony at DRV PNK Stadium on July 16.
On top of these signings, it could also be the case that veteran midfielder Andres Iniesta also joins the Herons following his departure from Vissel Kobe, as per RAC1. The signing of Alba will follow a period of courtship between the player and Inter Miami's co-owner Jorge Mas, who revealed that talks had been ongoing regarding a potential move.
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