ANKARA

French footballer Blaise Matuidi will continue his professional career in the US as American club Inter Miami signed him on Thursday.

"Inter Miami CF signs French national team midfielder Blaise Matuidi," the Major League Soccer (MLS) team said in a statement.

The announcement came a day after Italy's Juventus announced that Matuidi had left the club by mutual consent.

One of the owners of the US club, English football legend David Beckham, welcomed the 33-year-old.

"To have a World Cup winner in our team, the first to join @MLS is such an honour for us," he said in a statement on Instagram. "You have lifted many trophies in your career my friend and I know you share my dream that you will win more with us."

Beckham and Matuidi were teammates at French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the 2012-13 season.

The former Manchester United star is also Inter Miami's president of soccer operations.

Besides PSG and Juventus, Matuidi has played for France's Saint-Etienne.

He won four French Ligue 1 titles with PSG, three Serie A titles with Juventus, and helped the French national team bag the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

He scored nine goals in 84 appearances for France, and was named the French Footballer of the Year in 2015.