Barcelona to Miami: Jordi Alba explains move to join Messi, Busquets

With Messi, Busquets and striker Leo Campana already occupying IMCF’s Designated Player slots, Alba will not be a DP, meaning that his annual salary cannot be larger than the approximately $1.6 million maximum for Targeted Allocation Money signings. Whatever the specifics turn out to be, that suggests he’s taken a marked pay cut from the lofty numbers he was on at FCB.

On Tuesday Alba made clear that money was not the top priority in his decision to join Miami.

“It’s true that I had other offers on the table,” he said. “But I think the decision to come here was the right one … I had offers that involved more money. I think it was important to me to feel valued; I trust the people at the club, I also trust the mister [Martino, who managed him at Barcelona in 2013-14]. This option touched me as the one I liked the most, and it’s an exciting project for me. I also saw the desire they had for me to come here.”

Alba also spoke of his old friend Messi, who he believes has found a new equilibrium after finally leading Argentina to a World Cup title last fall.

“Now he’s facing a new challenge, that is to play in Miami,” said the Spaniard, “and we’re here to help him, all the team, the staff. There is a great atmosphere. He’s feeling well, he’s feeling loved. That’s very important. He has won everything, yeah, and more. But he’s still willing to compete, to win.”