Transfer Centre

Phil Neville confirms Inter Miami interest in Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets

By Ben Sully | 24 February 2023

Neville confirms Inter Miami interest in Messi, Busquets

Inter Miami boss Phil Neville reveals that the MLS club is interested in Paris Saint-Germain's Lionel Messi and Barcelona's Sergio Busquets.

Inter Miami boss Phil Neville has revealed that the MLS club are interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi and Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets.

With his PSG contract set to expire at the end of the season, Messi's future is currently the centre of widespread speculation.

While talks over a new PSG deal are believed to be ongoing, the Argentina international has been linked with a return to Barcelona.

A recent report claimed that the Catalan club are growing increasingly confident that they can persuade Messi to return to Camp Nou.

However, there have also been links with MLS franchise Inter Miami, who are also interested in signing his former Barcelona teammate Busquets.

Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets on October 16, 2022 © Reuters

The Spain international is out of contract in the summer, but he is yet to decide whether to extend his stay with the La Liga leaders or leave the club when his deal expires.

Speaking ahead of Inter Miami's first game of the 2023 MLS season, Neville admitted that the club are looking to make statement signings.

Neville told The Times: "I'm not going to deny [it and say] there isn't truth in the speculation that we're interested in Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets.

"Since I joined Miami, I think we've been linked with every single top player in world football. From Sergio Ramos, Dani Alves, Robert Lewandowski, Willian, Cesc Fabregas, Luis Suarez...all of them you can rattle off.

"We're always going to be linked with the best players in the world. We had Gonzalo Higuain and Blaise Matuidi.

"Now we've got the opportunity to bring in some new designated players [who fall outside the league's salary cap] following their retirements.

Inter Miami CF head coach Phil Neville gives directions from the sideline against the St. Louis CITY SC during the first period at Florida Blue Training Center on January 28, 2023 © Reuters

"We want to bring the best players in the world to this football club. Messi and Busquets are the two that stand out more in recent years.

"They're great players who would still be a massive benefit to this organisation. For MLS, it would be a game-changer."

Messi, who won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina in December, has scored 16 goals and provided 14 assists in 27 appearances for PSG this season.

Busquets, meanwhile, has played 28 games for Barcelona this term, and he returned from an ankle injury to play the duration of Thursday's 2-1 second leg defeat to Manchester United in the Europa League.

Inter Miami, a club owned by an investment group led by David Beckham, begin their fourth MLS season with a home game against CF Montreal this weekend.