'Cooking with gas' - Luis Suarez backed to bring 'X-factor' for Inter Miami in new MLS season alongside Lionel Messi despite running on 'half a knee'

Suarez is preparing for his first season in MLS after joining Inter Miami following his exit from Gremio. The Uruguay international has linked up with Messi as well as former Barcelona team-mates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba in Miami. Former USMNT star Taylor Twellman thinks the 37-year-old striker will be a hit in MLS despite his continued injury problems, which mean he's playing with "half a knee."

He told Mail Sports: "First off, he's one of the best center forwards of his generation. But between the ears, the movement is still there. So the legs may not be there, but it doesn't matter. He's still between the ears operating at a clip or two higher than the players around him. You couple that with Messi, Alba, Busquets, I think Suarez is the X-factor. I think if you get 15 goals-plus from him in the regular season, I think you're cooking with gas because you know, Messi is gonna get his. And I think there's gonna be a few others that get theirs."

Suarez has opened his account for Inter Miami already. The forward scored in a pre-season friendly defeat to Al-Hilal on what was a difficult tour for the Herons. Messi's lack of minutes drew anger from fans, while Suarez also did not feature against a Hong Kong XI as manager Tato Martino said there was "too much risk involved."

Suarez will be aiming to make his MLS debut when Inter Miami start the new season on February 21 against Real Salt Lake at the DRV PNK Stadium.