Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami reportedly secure Sergio Busquets’ replacement for the 2026 MLS season
Lionel Messi has lost one of his key teammates at Inter Miami in Sergio Busquets, who decided to retire from professional soccer at the end of last season. With the club already planning its roster for the 2026 MLS campaign, the Herons have reportedly secured the signing of the Spanish midfielder’s replacement.
Despite his age, Busquets played a pivotal role for Inter Miami, first under head coach Gerardo Martino and later with Javier Mascherano, serving as one of the team’s on-field leaders. With his elite vision and passing ability, replacing him was never going to be easy, but the Herons appear to have identified their solution.
According to transfer expert Germán García Grova, Inter Miami have reached an agreement to sign midfielder David Ayala. The Argentine was under contract with the Portland Timbers through the end of 2026, and with no extension close to being finalized, the Herons moved quickly to secure his arrival.
No transfer fee has been officially disclosed, but while reporting on Ayala’s situation, Tom Bogert revealed that negotiations centered around a $2 million cash trade. Additionally, while the Timbers were interested in renewing Ayala’s contract, the deal reportedly “wasn’t likely to happen due to personal reasons.”
Following a significant roster turnover during the 2025 season, Inter Miami have been aggressive in the winter transfer window. The club has already confirmed the signings of Sergio Reguilón, Dayne St. Clair, Facundo Mura, and Micael, while also continuing talks over the returns of Tadeo Allende and Rocco Ríos Novo.
Ayala’s signing also fits strategically, as the 23-year-old is expected to retain his U-22 Initiative roster slot. As a result, Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul remain Inter Miami’s only Designated Players, leaving the club with flexibility to pursue another high-profile signing before the start of the 2026 season.
Ayala, a natural fit to replace Busquets
After struggling for consistent minutes, Federico Redondo departed Inter Miami during the 2025 summer transfer window, leaving the club without a natural long-term successor to Sergio Busquets. With the veteran now retired, the addition of David Ayala makes sense as a direct solution for the holding midfield role in Messi’s team.
Looking at 2025 MLS statistics, Ayala mirrors several aspects of Busquets’ profile. While Busquets averaged 59.2 completed passes per game with Inter Miami, Ayala led the Timbers with 47.2 passes per match at an 88% completion rate. A similar trend appears in long passing, with Busquets averaging four long balls per game and Ayala recording 4.8.
Defensively, Busquets led Inter Miami in tackles per game at 2.5, while Ayala topped Portland’s charts with an average of 2.6. Both players also ranked second on their respective teams in interceptions per match, making Ayala, despite being shorter than Busquets (5-foot-7 compared to 6-foot-2), a strong stylistic and statistical fit for the role.