Sergio Busquets: Inter Miami announce signing of Barcelona captain

Sergio Busquets and Lionel Messi played together for 13 seasons at Barcelona

Inter Miami have announced the signing of Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets, reuniting him with former team-mate Lionel Messi.

Busquets, 34, announced in May he would be leaving the La Liga champions after 18 years at the club.

The midfielder will link up with Argentina forward Messi, 35, who confirmed this month he was moving to Inter Miami from Paris St-Germain.

Busquets and Messi spent 13 seasons together at Barca from 2008 to 2021.

They were part of a successful team which won three Champions Leagues, eight La Liga titles and six Copas del Rey.

It has been reported that, like Messi, former Spain midfielder Busquets received offers from Saudi Arabia, but he has opted to move to the Miami side owned by David Beckham.

Former Spain captain Busquets played 722 matches in total for Barcelona - the third-most appearances in the club's history.

Over his 15 years with the senior team he scored 18 goals and provided 40 assists.

Busquets joined the club in 2005 as a youth player, progressing to Barca's B side before making his first-team debut under manager Pep Guardiola in a 2008 league game against Racing Santander.

In announcing Busquets' decision to leave the Nou Camp, Barcelona described him as "one of the best players ever to represent the club".

He retired from international football in December, having won the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championship with Spain.