Sergio Busquets, the club’s second big signing in less than a month, has joined Lionel Messi, his former Barcelona teammate at Inter Miami.
In a video shared on Twitter on Friday, the club announced the transfer. Inter Miami displayed the phrase “Busi,” which refers to Busquets’ nickname, along with quotes from various football stars.
“On the field, he’s always No. 5, but in reality as a player and a person, he’s a 10,” Messi wrote in Spanish.
Messi, 35, announced his decision to join Miami on June 7. The team stated on Tuesday that he will make his Major League Soccer debut in a home game on July 21. Owner Jorge Mas told a few news outlets on Monday that Messi and his team had come to an agreement and were completing the necessary paperwork and a visa.
Busquets announced last month that he will not be returning to Barcelona after almost twenty years with the club. His contract is set to expire at the end of June.
Busquets joined Barcelona in 2005 and has played 722 games for the club, ranking third all-time after Xavi and Messi. Busquets, one of Barcelona’s top defensive midfielders, with 18 goals and 40 assists. He has been the team captain for the last two seasons.
The signing of Busquets adds another high-profile figure to a squad aiming to establish itself in a region that has seen plenty of sporting success, as the Miami Heat and Florida Panthers are coming off respective finals runs.