Inter Miami's starting lineup with Lionel Messi leading the Barcelona reunion
The MLS team could look very different in the coming months as David Beckham attempts to turn around the fortunes of his franchise with the signing of the Argentina superstar.
Lionel Messi has joined Inter Miami in a historic move, and he may be followed to MLS by some famous faces.
Since the South Beach franchise opened in 2018, co-owner David Beckham has hoped to bring a true superstar to the United States. Messi's impact on US soccer has already been seen, despite strong interest from Spanish powers Barcelona and Saudi Arabian team Al-Hilal.
There have also been reports that numerous more prominent players are on Inter Miami's radar. The team is at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and in desperate need of improvement after firing head coach Phil Neville earlier this month.
In this spirit, the Herons could do a lot worse than welcome any of the incoming star's former teammates in the coming months, with Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suarez all recently linked with moves to Miami. Following the arrival of Messi, the former Blaugrana trio are all on Beckham and co's radar, according to TyC Sports.
Such reunions would bring a nostalgic aura to Miami, evoking memories of Barcelona's glory days, when Messi and Suarez led the attack alongside Neymar. Angel Di Maria, a former Real Madrid rival, has also been connected with a move, but rumours suggest he may stay in Europe for the time being. Nonetheless, Messi appears unlikely to be the last big star to join Beckham's team.
One big problem that Inter Miami will have to deal with in the coming months is the Designated Player Rule, also known colloquially as the 'Beckham Rule'. Currently, MLS teams are only permitted to sign a maximum of three players whose salaries surpass the league's salary cap, implying that the club may not sign more than three players.
It should not be forgotten that Inter Miami now possesses three Designated Players in the form of Gregore, Rodolfo Pizarro, and Leonardo Campana. As a result, these players may need to be moved on to make room for the entrance of new stars on salaries that exceed the league's salary cap.
Alternatively, all three of their contracts might be renegotiated, with the lowest-paid players potentially gaining a regular berth on the club's roster. Perhaps the opportunity to play alongside Messi and the attention that comes with it will persuade some of these talents to stay put, given the possibility of commercial partnerships that may occur as a result of this, for example.
There is also a circumstance in which new talents are persuaded to play for a lesser compensation than one would normally expect and accept a wage in line with the 2023 cap, which stands at $$651,250 per year for a single player. In that instance, Beckham would be able to assemble a roster that keeps the present club's spine while bringing in some high-profile stars to complement Messi.
Regardless, a squad featuring Messi, Busquets, and Suarez, as well as proven MLS marksman Josef Martinez up front, would be a thrilling prospect for those involved with the franchise and league fans.
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