Lionel Messi might join with yet another of his former Barcelona teammates as Inter Miami plots an assault on MLS.
Messi, who left Paris Saint-Germain at the end of his contract last summer, signed with Inter Miami midway through the previous MLS season, and is getting ready for his first full season there.
While the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner did lead his new side to win the inaugural Leagues Cup, Miami failed to qualify for the MLS post-season playoffs.
Miami’s front staff has been busy signing players they think will best fit Messi in their quest to win the MLS title for the first time.
After leaving Barcelona last year, Messi’s old teammates at Barcelona, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, swiftly trailed the Argentine sensation to Miami.
The much-rumored signing of Messi’s close friend and former attacking partner at Camp Nou, Luis Suarez, was announced by Miami in December.
Suarez’s deal with Brazilian team Gremio made his move to Florida more difficult, and if Miami wants to sign another of Messi’s old friends, they may have to negotiate more difficulty.
This is due to the club’s strong interest in acquiring Philippe Coutinho, a former Liverpool player who spent two seasons at Barcelona with Messi.
What Does Coutinho Want?
The 31-year-old, who is presently on loan from Aston Villa at Al Duhail in Qatar, is apparently interested in signing with Inter Miami, but the Premier League’s top team would probably prefer to trade the attacking midfielder.
Coutinho is reportedly in contact with multiple MLS teams, according to Marca.
After Barcelona acquired the attacking midfielder from Liverpool in 2018 for a reported £142 million, the Brazilian became one of the most expensive players in history.
Coutinho, on the other hand, failed to live up to his price tag, contributing only 25 goals and 14 assists in 106 appearances for the club. In fact, his most major contribution in a Barcelona match occurred while on loan at Bayern Munich, when he scored two goals in an 8-2 triumph over his parent club.
Coutinho’s misery at Barcelona ended in 2022 when he was signed by Aston Villa for £17 million, but two years later he is no longer in manager Unai Emery’s ambitions.
Coutinho appears to have multiple offers on the table, but can you really say no when Messi comes calling?
