According to reports, Inter Miami has reached an agreement with Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets. However, Jorge Mas, who co-owns the club with David Beckham, has hinted that a third big name will be joining them at DRV PNK Stadium.
Currently at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings in MLS, Inter Miami is undergoing changes, starting with the sacking of Phil Neville, Beckham’s former Manchester United teammate, as manager before Messi’s signing was completed.
Busquets, Messi’s long-time teammate at Barcelona, has also turned down a considerable offer from Saudi Arabia and will arrive as one of the club’s three Designated Players. Inter Miami already has three DPs in Josef Martinez, Rodolfo Pizarro, and Gregore, but the club is expected to sell those players or ‘trade down’ their contracts to make room for another high-profile signing.
Mas has hinted at this possibility with a recent social media post that shows three blank Inter Miami jerseys with the words “coming soon.”
Who will be the mystery third player for Miami?
Although Luis Suarez and Angel Di Maria, Messi’s former teammates at Barcelona and Argentina, respectively, have been linked with moves to Miami, it seems that Jordi Alba is now the frontrunner for the third DP spot.
According to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, the Spain left-back has two offers from Saudi Arabia but is in active negotiations with Inter Miami.
Suarez and Di Maria could still sign with the club, but if they do, it’s likely that they would receive a percentage of their jersey sales since the club might have run out of DP spots at that point.
While neither player is expected to outsell Messi replicas – Inter Miami has seen a 4,500% increase in merchandise sales since Messi announced he was joining – this avenue can still yield a significant amount of extra income.