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."