Washington (AFP)
Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham says the franchise is set to sign big-name players as it prepares to start its second season in Major League Soccer under new coach Phil Neville.
The former Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain star stressed that the club viewed local talent as the cornerstone of the franchise's long-term success.
He admitted, however, that Inter remain on the hunt for high profile players, citing names like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, both of whom have already shown interest in MLS.
"I said from day one that our academy is an important part of this club and if we can bring players here who have known Inter Miami, that's the point," Beckham told the AFP.
“But we also know that in Miami, our fans want to see the big stars. We already have players like Gonzalo Higuain and Blaise Matuidi who add to the glitz and glamor, but we also want to have the opportunity to bring in the big guys. names, "he continued.
Asked about Messi and Ronaldo, Beckham refused to rule out the possibility of a transfer for either player.
"The player has to be well on the team, still have ambition and want to win," said Beckham.
"So whoever we talk to we have to make sure it's a priority."
"Of course we always want to bring great players. Miami is a city that attracts everyone and those kinds of players (Messi and Ronaldo) are the ones we aspire to bring here," he said. adding that Miami's recruiting policy was modeled on that of its former Manchester United coach, Alex Ferguson.
"Sir Alex Ferguson was a master at picking the right player, he didn't always bring the best player in the world, he brought the right player for the club and that's one of the things I brought here ", he said.
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