Casemiro, Messi's Teammate
Brazilian midfielder Casemiro has joined Argentine star Lionel Messi in defending the colors of Inter Miami, as announced by the latter yesterday. However, Major League Soccer (MLS) immediately announced that it is investigating allegations that the club violated negotiation rules in this deal. Casemiro, who has played 91 international matches for the Brazilian national team and won the UEFA Champions League five times with Spanish club Real Madrid, became a free agent after English club Manchester United decided not to renew his contract following a mixed four-year stint with the Premier League giant. The 34-year-old midfielder chose to join Messi and fellow Argentine Rodrigo De Paul at Inter Miami, a club co-owned by English legend David Beckham.
Jorge Mas, the managing partner and owner of Inter Miami, said, “Casemiro’s arrival reflects the vision and ambition that distinguish Inter Miami. We are never satisfied. We always strive to grow, improve, and raise our standards every season.” He added, “We have built a global club with a vision aimed at becoming not only the best club in the United States but also a global benchmark.”
However, moments after the announcement, MLS stated in a press release, “We are reviewing allegations regarding a violation of negotiation rules by Inter Miami.” The investigation concerns the “discovery rights” system in MLS, which requires clubs to obtain these rights before beginning negotiations to sign certain prominent players. Los Angeles Galaxy held the discovery rights for Casemiro, and it is understood that they will receive compensation from Inter Miami. The statement added, “MLS is gathering all relevant information and will refrain from making further comments until the review is complete.” It further noted, “While Inter Miami and Los Angeles Galaxy have reached a settlement regarding discovery priority for signing Casemiro, the terms will be announced after the conclusion of the investigation into the alleged negotiation rule violations.”
While other clubs feature prominent international stars, such as South Korean player Son Heung-min (Los Angeles FC), signing Casemiro strengthens Inter Miami’s position as the club with the most star players in MLS.
