Inter Miami's quest to become "Barca West" received a major boost as they secured the signature of the formidable defender, Jordi Alba, on Thursday.
The Spanish left back, known for his attacking prowess and defensive solidity, joins former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets in the star-studded squad.
The timing could not be better for Inter Miami, as they are set to resume action after the All-Star break, gearing up for a thrilling Leagues Cup venture and a much-anticipated home clash against Mexico's Cruz Azul on Friday.
Having spent 11 seasons at Barcelona, Alba contributed significantly to the team's success, securing six La Liga titles and leaving a lasting impact on the legendary Spanish club.
His footballing journey also included a spell at Valencia.
His attacking flair at Camp Nou registered an impressive 37 goals and 107 assists in a total of 605 matches across various competitions.
With Alba's arrival, Inter Miami's sporting director, Chris Henderson, did not conceal his enthusiasm, stating: "Jordi is an accomplished, dynamic and experienced player we're excited to acquire to continue bolstering our squad. He has proven for over a decade that he is one of the best fullbacks in the sport due to both his defensive solidity and capacity to contribute in the attack."
The trio of former Barcelona stars, Alba, Messi and Busquets, are poised for a heartwarming reunion at Inter Miami under head coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino.
However, despite the star power, challenges loom large for the club, as they currently find themselves languishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a lackluster record of 5-14-3 (18 points) in the ongoing MLS season.
A 12-point deficit from the playoff line and just 12 regular-season games remaining means they have a mountain to climb to salvage their campaign.
