DAVID BECKHAM’s Inter Miami have confirmed their interest in signing Barcelona legends Lionel Messi AND Sergio Busquets in the summer.
The MLS side have been linked with Messi, 35, and Busquets, 34, this season with reports claiming Inter were leading the race for the Argentine World Cup winner.
Inter would, of course, face stiff competition to sign both of the football legends.
Barca are said to be keen on keeping club captain Busquets at the club, where he is working under the management of former midfield star Xavi.
And Messi’s current club, Paris Saint-Germain, would like to tie him down for another two years.
Barca also dream of a reunion with Messi when his contract expires this summer.
READ MORE ON MESSI
Despite this, Inter manager Phil Neville has not ruled his team out of the transfer race to sign both players.
He 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 Fàbregas, Luis Suárez . . . all of them you can rattle off.
Most read in Football
BETTING SPECIAL – BEST FOOTBALL BETTING SITES IN THE UK
“We’re always going to be linked with the best players in the world.
“We had Gonzalo Higuaín 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.”
Neville added: “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.”
Beckham has also publicly spoken about Messi being a dream signing.
He said: “Everyone has their wish list, everyone does, but if you look at the way Leo and Cristiano are still playing, even at what you might think is the later stage of their careers, I don’t see it ending for them.
“They’re playing at such a high level that it’s hard to see them leaving the clubs they are at, but we will see. You never know what can happen in football.”
Read More on The Sun
Messi himself has also revealed that it is one of his dreams to play in the MLS.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner said: “I would like to play in the United States someday, it’s always been one of my dreams… but I don’t know if it will happen!”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
