Lionel Messi requests David Beckham to sign 35-year-old ex-Barcelona star at Inter Miami alongside Luis Suarez: Reports
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi has requested club owner David Beckham to add Ivan Rakitic to the squad as well for the new season, according to recent reports in Marca.
Messi, who recently won the 2023 Ballon d'Or, made his switch from Europe to the US earlier this summer. He was joined by former Barcelona teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets upon arrival. There have already been reports of another former Barca forward Luis Suarez also joining the team from Gremio, where he currently plays.
Adding Rakitic to the fold will mean five of Inter Miami's starting XI could potentially be former Barca stars, who enjoyed tremendous success on the pitch in the past. Rakitic, who currently plays for Sevilla, is unlikely to extend his contract in Spain, which expires after this season, as per El Gol Digital.
This means that the Croatian midfielder can join the MLS side on a free transfer. The reports have added that Sevilla currently want to lower his salary by 85 percent, which could be a driving factor in the fallout from signing a new contract.
As for Lionel Messi, he has so far played 14 games for Inter Miami, netting 11 goals and registering five assists in those games. He was crucial in the Leagues Cup, where he helped Inter Miami win their first-ever silverware in the club's short history.
Lionel Messi still calling the shots in world football with 2023 Ballon d'Or
Not many 36-year-olds are as influential on the football pitch as Lionel Messi. It was proven once again as the Argentine captain scooped his record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or by beating Erling Haaland to the prize.
Messi had a fantastic 2022-23 season with Paris Saint-Germain, registering 21 goals and 20 assists in 41 games. His crowning moment came when he helped Argentina win the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Messi registered seven goals and three assists in seven games in the tournament, winning the Golden Ball and beating France in the final to help his national team lift football's most coveted team trophy.