Spanish Primera Liga club Barcelona is set to launch a bid with a Bolivian entrepreneur to become co-owners of a Major League Soccer franchise in Miami, according to the BBC.
The MLS plans to add two teams to its league for the 2011 season, with the deadline for applications on Wednesday.
A statement on the club’s website read: "The idea is to set up an investee company involving FC Barcelona and a Bolivian entrepreneur, Marcelo Claure.
“Claure is the chief on an investment group featuring Americans and citizens of different South American countries” the statement continued. "The company's sole aim right now is to present an application for the franchise and promote it to the MLS."
Claure owns Bolivia's FC Bolivar, with whom Barcelona already collaborate.
The MLS currently has 14 teams but is set to expand with Seattle joining in 2009 and Philadelphia in 2010 before a further two franchises are included a year later. Miami Fusion played in the MLS from 1998 to 2001 before losing its franchise.
