Veteran defender Jordi Alba is joining his former FC Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets at Inter Miami. The 34-year-old Alba will continue his soccer career with the MLS club about two months after leaving Barcelona after 11 seasons.
Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas confirmed the move, anticipating the signing to be finalized soon.
Alba, who joined Barcelona in 2012 from Valencia, achieved significant success with the club, including six La Liga titles, five Copa del Rey trophies, and the 2015 Champions League. He made 458 appearances for Barcelona, scoring 19 goals and providing 91 assists.
This marks Inter Miami's third major acquisition this summer, following Messi's announcement of his intention to join the club and the subsequent addition of Busquets. The team also recently appointed former FC Barcelona and Argentina national team manager Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino as head coach. Martino previously managed Barcelona during the 2013-14 season.
Both Messi and Busquets have completed their first training session with Inter Miami and are expected to debut in the upcoming Leagues Cup match against Cruz Azul, although their playing time remains uncertain.
Mas confirmed Messi's debut on Friday but stated the specifics regarding playing time are to be determined by Messi and Martino. Alba's arrival provides reinforcement at left-back following Franco Negri's season-ending ACL injury. Inter Miami currently holds the last position in the Eastern Conference standings.
