Marquez has long been linked with a move to the Red Bulls and came to an agreement last week to rescind the remaining two years of his Barca contract.

The defender has now signed a multi-year deal with the Major League Soccer side, which will see him link up with former Barca team-mate Thierry Henry.

"I'm very excited to be joining the Red Bulls," Marquez said on his new club's website. "It's a new experience, it's a new challenge so I'm very happy with all this.

"I think American football is growing and the national team are now a big team, they did good work in the last World Cup

"So I'm very happy to be here and I hope to do good work here. I want to do my best to help win the first championship. I'm very happy to be here and for this challenge.

"Despite having the opportunity to fulfil my contract with Barcelona, coming to New York and playing in Major League Soccer was a chance that I could not refuse.

"I'm completely committed to doing my very best to help the Red Bulls in the playoff push this year and to compete for championships in the years to come."

Marquez has played 242 games for Barca, helping them to four league titles, two Champions Leagues, the World Club Cup, the European Super Cup, the Spanish Cup and three Spanish Super Cups in seven glittering years at the Nou Camp.

He will be unveiled at a press conference tomorrow at 1:15pm (local time).

Marquez joins Henry and Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel as the Red Bulls' designated players - ones whose wages are exempt from the league's salary cap.