“We had conversations every once in a while” – Busquets admits he planned Inter Miami switch with Lionel Messi and 2 other ex-Barcelona stars

Inter Miami’s new signings Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets have been in touch with their former teammate Luis Suarez, discussing their eventual moves to Florida. Notably, the forward who played with them at Barcelona could be the next star to join the MLS club.

Sergio Busquets, who left the Catalan giants after 14 years, revealed that he and Lionel Messi had conversations with Suarez about their move to the US. However, he did not directly confirm if Suarez was interested in following them to the Sunshine State.

Suarez, who currently plays for Brazilian side Gremio, was part of the formidable attacking trio with Lionel Messi and Neymar at Barcelona. They won multiple trophies together before Messi left the club in 2020 and joined Paris Saint-Germain, where he reunited with Neymar. However, he only spent two seasons in France before moving to the USA.

Inter Miami have made a splash in the transfer market this summer by signing Messi and Busquets. The duo have made an instant impact on the team, helping them end their 11-game winless streak. According to Mirror, the MLS club still has one international roster slot available and could use it to lure Luis Suarez to join his friends in Florida.

Busquets told The Athletic that he and Lionel Messi had discussions with Luis Suarez regarding their new club (via Mirror):

“We spoke about it because we’re friends. We had conversations about (Inter Miami) every once in a while. Especially with Leo, who was finishing his contract (with Paris Saint-Germain) and who had some doubts about staying in Europe or facing something new away from Europe. I had more clarity. I knew that I wanted to leave Europe."

It remains to be seen if Suarez will join his former Barcelona teammates at Inter Miami or if he will stay at Gremio, where he has scored four goals in 12 games so far.

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Lionel Messi shines in Inter Miami full debut

Lionel Messi marked his first start for Miami with a stunning performance, scoring two goals and providing one assist in a 4-0 rout of Atlanta United. The Argentine legend showed his class and quality in front of a delighted crowd at the DRV PNK Stadium.

Messi scored the opener in the ninth minute, pouncing on a rebound from his own shot after a brilliant pass from Sergio Busquets. He then doubled the lead in the 22nd minute, finishing off a slick one-two with Robert Taylor, who also scored a brace.

The Finland midfielder made it 3-0 before the break. He completed his double in the second half, running onto a through ball from the Argentine playmaker and slotting it past the keeper. Lionel Messi was substituted in the 78th minute to a standing ovation, having marked his first start for Inter Miami with a stunning display.