Lionel Messi denied dream Barcelona reunion at Inter Miami

Tom Hancock

• 20 Jul 2023 15:53 BST
• 3 min read

Inter Miami’s bid to reunite four former Barcelona teammates in Florida apears to have hit an obstacle.

Having completed the marquee signing of Lionel Messi and the capture of Sergio Busquets, the MLS club part-owned by David Beckham are closing in on Jordi Alba – and are also said to be chasing Luis Suarez, who is currently with Brazilian outfit Gremio.

However, getting a deal for Suarez over the line seems to be proving less than straightforward for Miami – who find themselves propping up the MLS’ Eastern Conference 22 games into the 2023 season.

MORE: Messi might struggle at Inter Miami – David Beckham

According to Mundo Deportivo, Suarez’s release clause of $70m (€62m) is beyond Miami’s financial reach; the Herons set their current transfer record of €11m when they signed Rodolfo Pizarro from Monterrey in 2020.

The report adds that in any case, Gremio don’t intend to let the 36-year-old Uruguay international go without a fight, considering him an integral member of their team.

Suarez signed a two-year contract with Gremio back in December, having returned to South America last summer to join Uruguayan outfit Nacional – the club where he began his career.

MORE: The ASTRONOMICAL cost of tickets for Messi’s Inter Miami debut

From Barca to Brazil

The former Liverpool and Ajax striker left Barcelona in the summer of 2020, moving on to Atletico Madrid.

He played alongside Messi, Busquets and Alba for six years under a succession of managers – among them new Miami boss Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino – winning four La Liga titles and the 2014/15 Champions League.

Suarez was one prong of Barca’s ‘MSN’ attack – which also featured Messi and Neymar – and racked up 198 goals in 283 appearances for the Blaugrana.

He’s been in solid goalscoring nick since his switch to Brazil, finding the net 16 times in 31 outings in all competitions for Gremio.