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Ex-Barcelona defender Pique: I knew Messi would go to Inter Miami

Former Barcelona defender Gerard Pique says he always expected Leo Messi to move to Inter Miami.

There was hope that Messi would return to Barca.

But Pique told El Larguero: "I thought he would go to Inter Miami from the start. But they offered him astronomical figures and there was also the option of returning to Barcelona, which I think he considered, but I think the most natural was to open a market in the US.

"In Miami there are a lot of Latinos, adaptation will be easy, life is good and it will help to grow the MLS. It seemed difficult for him to return to Barça. I don't know all the club's numbers, but from what is said in the press, it was a complicated operation and it didn't happen. I have no information on whether it was feasible.

On playing in Saudi Arabia, Pique also said: "They didn't call me from Arabia and I wouldn't have gone either, I always said that the club of my life was Barça and then I was going to retire. It was very clear, my football was linked to Barça. Doing things for money is not my way of seeing things.

"They are investing, I understand that it is also to invest in their image and the world of football is changing."

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