Lionel Messi is joining Inter Miami in a groundbreaking move - and he could be followed to MLS by some familiar faces.
Since the South Beach franchise was established back in 2018, it has been the dream of co-owner David Beckham to bring a bona fide superstar to the States. The franchise saw off heavy interest from Spanish giants Barcelona and Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Hilal to land Messi and his impact on US soccer has already been apparent.
There have also been claims of several more big names being on Inter Miami's radar. After dismissing head coach Phil Neville earlier this month, the team are bottom of the Eastern Conference and in serious need of improvement.
In this vein, the Herons could do a lot worse than welcome some of the incoming star's former teammates in the coming months, with the likes of Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez all having been linked with a move to Miami in recent days. According to TyC Sports, the former Blaugrana trio are all on Beckham and co's radar following the signing of Messi.
Such reunions would bring an air of nostalgia to Miami and evoke memories of Barcelona's glory days with Messi and Suarez leading the attack alongside Neymar. Former Real Madrid rival Angel Di Maria has also been linked with a move but reports suggest he could be staying in Europe for the time being. Nonetheless, it seems unlikely that Messi will be the last big name to join Beckham's franchise.
One major complication which Inter Miami will need to navigate in the upcoming months comes in the form of the Designated Player Rule — known colloquially to many as the 'Beckham Rule'. Currently, teams in the MLS are only allowed a maximum of three players whose salaries exceed the league's salary cap, meaning that the club may need to be clever when it comes to its purchases this summer.
Will a host of high-profile stars now join Lionel Messi in the MLS? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
It should not be overlooked that Inter Miami already has three Designated Players on its books currently in the form of Gregore, Rodolfo Pizarro and Leonardo Campana. Essentially, therefore, these players may need to be moved on to accommodate the arrivals of new stars on wages higher than the league's salary cap.
Alternatively, all three of their contracts could be renegotiated, with the lowest earners potentially moved into a regular spot on the club's roster. Perhaps, the chance of playing alongside Messi and the exposure that could bring may convince some of these stars to stay put, given the opportunity for commercial deals that may arise out of this, for instance.
There is also a situation where incoming stars are convinced to play for a salary lower than what one would ordinarily expect and accept a wage in line with the 2023 cap, which stands $$651,250 for a single player at per annum. In that case, Beckham would then be able to put together a team that retains the spine of the current side, while bringing in some high-profile names to along with Messi.
Regardless, a lineup with Messi, Busquets and Suarez - plus proven MLS marksman Josef Martinez up front - would be an exciting prospect for all connected with the franchise and fans of the league.
How Inter Miami's starting XI could look: Callender; Yedlin, Kryvtsov, McVey, Alba; Busquets, Gregore, Pizarro; Messi, Suarez, Martinez.
