Inter Miami to continue spending after Lionel Messi signing with Sergio Ramos deal ‘close’
The Real Madrid icon could be the latest legend of the sport to reunite with incoming superstar Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, with Sergio Busquets having also moved stateside
Not content with securing the signature of superstar Lionel Messi, Inter Miami’s chiefs have now set their sights on bringing another bona fide legend to MLS.
David Beckham and his partners shocked the world when they pulled off the coup of a lifetime to land the Argentine icon but they do not look set to stop there, with a deal for Sergio Ramos now being pursued. According to Spanish outlet Sport, the veteran centre back is in talks with the Herons ahead of a potential switch to the US after becoming a free agent.
A teammate of Messi’s at Paris Saint-Germain, it would be fair to say his fortunes during the past couple of years in the French capital have been mixed but there is no denying his pedigree. Undoubtedly one of the sport’s best defenders of the past two decades, the 180-time Spanish international won a staggering 22 major honours during his time with Real Madrid including four Champions Leagues and five La Liga titles.
He also was a major component in his country’s golden spell which yielded a World Cup triumph in 2010, bookended by two European Championships in 2008 and 2012. His move to Ligue 1 also brought more two league titles, with his second season in Paris the more successful out of his two campaigns with the club on an individual level — making 33 appearances in the league last term.
It is a measure of Inter Miami’s unbridled ambitions that they would target yet another world-renowned star for their emerging project, therefore. On top of this, a deal for former Barcelona stalwart Sergio Busquets has also been completed, with the midfield anchorman also set to reunite with Messi stateside.
The report from Sport also contends that the powers-that-be at the South Beach outfit are also in discussions with Ramos’ compatriot Jordi Alba over a potential move. The Spain captain terminated his contract with Barcelona earlier this month and may also be set to team up with his former teammates in MLS.
Of course ex-Blaugrana trio Alba, Busquets and Messi all previously played together under incoming Vice City head coach Tata Martino, with the Argentine having managed at Camp Nou in 2013-14. These potential signings would be in line with the assertions of club co-owner Jorge Mas that a flurry of reinforcements can be expected at the Floridan franchise this summer.
Speaking to the Miami Herald previously, the billionaire businessman explained: “We have been preparing for [Lionel] Messi’s arrival in 2023, and we have left a huge amount of flexibility in the accounts.
“We will make more signings this summer, more than people expect. We don’t have to revolutionize the squad, but I can say we will potentially make between three and five signings.”
Whether either player will be signed on wages that outweigh the MLS salary cap remains to be seen but it is worth noting that Inter Miami may have their hands tied in this regard, as things stand. With three Designated Players (DPs) already on the club’s books heading into the summer transfer window, chiefs will have a task on their hands in either renegotiating these players’ deals or moving them on.
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