Lionel Messi has been reunited with his bodyguard on the pitch for Inter Miami — no, not that one — as the Herons added Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul to their squad this summer in a surprise move. Joining on loan from Atletico Madrid in La Liga, De Paul will bring a strong presence next to Sergio Busquets that will automatically make Inter Miami the favorites to hoist the MLS Cup this year. With Messi already leading the race for Most Valuable Player in Major League Soccer with 18 goals and seven assists, adding another talented midfielder, who is in his prime, to the mix pushes them over the top.
De Paul will join a midfield that already contains Busquets and Telasaco Segovia, while Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez, and Messi will push the attack to new highs. It took a bit of financial maneuvering to get this deal done, but at least technically, this roster is within MLS rules. Miami pushing the limits on what can be a legal roster is also something that’s good for the league in showing that some of the constraints can make things extremely challenging to acquire top-level talent.
Here’s what to know:
How’d Miami register De Paul?
With their Designated Player spots tapped out, and each player making higher than the threshold that can be brought down to be a Targeted Allocation Money player. Miami weren’t able to add De Paul as a Designated Player as they already had three (Messi, Busquets, Jordi Alba), so instead he joins on loan as a TAM player with a purchase option to be added for around $17 million ahead of next season, which would see him become a Designated Player, according to reports.The option is key here. If it were an obligation to buy, De Paul would need to be a Designated Player now, but with the option, he can have a different designation for this season versus what it will be next season. A retirement or change in salary for Alba or Busquets at the end of the season could be how they make it work.
The Herons could already have a gentleman’s agreement to pick up that option in the coming campaign, but via technicalities, they’re roster compliant. To complete adding De Paul to the roster, a trade was made with Atlanta United where the Herons sent $225,000 in General Allocation Money and Leonardo Alphonso in exchange for an international roster spot for the remainder of the season. This ensures that De Paul will be on the roster in time for Miami to kick off Leagues Cup, similarly to how Messi was added en route to the Herons winning this very tournament in 2023 for the first trophy in club history, and expectations are just as high this time around. They’ll kick off the Leagues Cup facing Atlas on Wednesday, and it’s where De Paul could make his debut in some capacity.
A true game-changer on the pitch
De Paul is an impressive get for Miami. His addition does show that Federico Redondo hasn’t worked out as expected to add legs next to Busquets in midfield, but there’s no easier way to move past that than by adding a player who has been alongside Messi with Argentina for years. Usually, when players of De Paul’s caliber join MLS, they’re past their prime, such as Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, and Andrea Pirlo, but the Argentine is only 31 and, despite logging quite a few minutes during his career, should have something to give in MLS.
Adding such a dynamic presence will let Busquets pick up deeper positions on the pitch while protecting the defense. Miami have only kept one clean sheet in their last six matches, and while they did win four of those, dropping any points when chasing FC Cincinnati, the Columbus Crew and the Philadelphia Union, will mean not having advantageous seeding moving forward when it comes time for the MLS playoffs. De Paul isn’t just a defensive midfielder; he can also link up play and rip a shot from distance, as shown by him having at least eight goals and assists in league play for Atleti during the last three seasons. Any team in Europe would love to have De Paul in their squad, but it’s Miami who were able to secure his services thanks to having Messi in the squad.
While Messi is set to go down as the best overall signing in league history, De Paul is someone who has the tools to go down as the best signing of a pure midfielder in league history. When considering age and talent level, De Paul could last longer in MLS than either while making a bigger impact on both ends of the pitch in pursuit of domestic and international glory.
How to watch Inter Miami vs. Atlas, odds
- Date: Wednesday, July 30 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Chase Stadium — Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Live stream: MLS Season Pass
- Odds: Inter Miami -239; Draw +375; Atlas +550
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Bookmaker for MLB Star Shohei Ohtani’s Interpreter Sentenced to Year in Prison
A Southern California bookmaker who took thousands of sports bets from the former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani was sentenced to just over a year in prison Friday.Mathew Bowyer, now 50, had pleaded guilty a year ago to running an illegal gambling business, money laundering and filing a false tax return. He was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.The case against Bowyer is part of a broader federal probe into illegal sports gambling that led to the arrest of Ohtani’s former Japanese language interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, who is currently serving a nearly five-year sentence for bank and tax fraud after stealing nearly $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player."The bottom line is, I am remorseful. I have made many poor choices in my life," Bowyer told the court before sentencing, his voice trembling.Bowyer will later […]
Bookmaker for MLB Star Shohei Ohtani’s Interpreter Sentenced to Year in Prison
A Southern California bookmaker who took thousands of sports bets from the former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani was sentenced to just over a year in prison Friday.Mathew Bowyer, now 50, had pleaded guilty a year ago to running an illegal gambling business, money laundering and filing a false tax return. He was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.The case against Bowyer is part of a broader federal probe into illegal sports gambling that led to the arrest of Ohtani’s former Japanese language interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, who is currently serving a nearly five-year sentence for bank and tax fraud after stealing nearly $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player."The bottom line is, I am remorseful. I have made many poor choices in my life," Bowyer told the court before sentencing, his voice trembling.Bowyer will later […]
Vasco faz proposta por Saldivia, zagueiro do Colo-Colo, ‘aprovado’ por Felipe Melo: “Jogará na Europa logo”
O zagueiro Alan Saldivia em ação pelo Colo-Colo (Marcos Brindicci/Getty Images)O Vasco segue correndo contra o tempo para fechar algumas últimas contratações para a sequência da temporada 2025 antes do fechamento da janela de transferências na próxima terça-feira (2) e o foco é na aquisição de novos zagueiros para o time de Fernando Diniz. Alan Saldivia, de 22 anos, destaque do Colo-Colo, do Chile, está na mira. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADEDe acordo com a imprensa chilena, o Colo-Colo analisa uma oferta oficial do Cruzmaltino por empréstimo com obrigação de compra. A proposta é de US$ 300 mil (R$ 1,6 milhão) pelo empréstimo de uma temporada, com obrigação de compra de 70% dos direitos econômicos por mais US$ 1,5 milhão (R$ 8 milhões).Sem poder contar com muitos defensores em seu elenco, o técnico Fernando Diniz tem utilizado o volante Hugo Moura na zaga […]
Ženské finále na MS v pětiboji bude bez české účasti
Hlaváčková obsadila ve své semifinálové skupině desáté místo, tedy první nepostupové. Body ztratila na překážkové dráze, která po olympiádě nahradila parkur a na níž pokazila závěr. Do kombinace běhu a střelby vyrazila ze 14. místa a navzdory posunu pořadím ji od postupu dělilo propastných 12 sekund.„Chyba na překážkové dráze se mi těžce doháněla. Čtyři holky, které jsem v kombi mohla seběhnout, jsem seběhla, ale nestřílela jsem úplně nejlépe. Už v kvalifikaci to nebylo úplně perfektní. Z těch devíti holek, co byly přede mnou, by musel někdo výrazně zachybovat, ale to se nestalo,“ citoval juniorskou vicemistryni světa Havlíčkovou český svaz v tiskové zprávě.Novotná mohla ve své skupině na postup pomýšlet až do závěrečného laser runu, ale nepovedla se jí střelba a obsadila 15. místo. „Když jsem přišla na kombi a viděla jsem, že postup je blízko, trochu mě to vzalo a začala jsem o tom víc přemýšlet a stresovat se. Na střelbě jsem to bohužel nechala. […]
Wallace shoots into European Masters title contention pre-Ryder Cup selection
Matt Wallace is aiming to remain king of the mountains after posting rounds of 65 and 63 on a marathon second day at the weather-disrupted European Masters to sit one shot off the clubhouse lead.The race to catch up following Thursday's lengthy fog delays in Switzerland saw defending champion Wallace play 36 holes on Friday, having been unable to start his first round on day one. The Englishman made 15 birdies and three bogeys across two rounds to reach 12 under par and sit one shot behind France's Adrien Saddier.Wallace is chasing a rookie Ryder Cup appearance, with Luke Donald naming his six captain's picks on Monday September 1, live from 2pm on Sky Sports.Wallace said: "I had three great nines. I would put it that way. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Take a closer […]
Casagrande ignora Jorge Sampaoli e indica Zubeldía como técnico do Atlético-MG: “Seria o ideal para o Galo”
Casagrande em entrevista ao "Benja Me Mucho" (Reprodução - YouTube)O Atlético-MG está no mercado em busca de um novo treinador após demitir Cuca. O técnico não resistiu à sequência negativa depois do retorno da paralisação para a Copa do Mundo de Clubes e foi desligado pelo Galo na manhã desta sexta-feira (29). O colunista do UOL Esporte, Casagrande, se manifestou sobre a troca. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE“O problema agora é o Galo encontrar o treinador certo para um trabalho a longo prazo e dar tempo para que ele dispense os jogadores que não quer no seu elenco e peça os que deseja trabalhar. Mas, para isso, o novo treinador precisa ter respaldo para que se espere que seu trabalho comece a dar resultados”, disse.Casagrande sugere ZubeldíaDesde a tomada de decisão pela troca de Cuca, ainda nessa quinta-feira, o Atlético-MG já está no […]
Related
Bookmaker for MLB Star Shohei Ohtani’s Interpreter Sentenced to Year in Prison
A Southern California bookmaker who took thousands of sports bets from the former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani was sentenced to just over a year in prison Friday.Mathew Bowyer, now 50, had pleaded guilty a year ago to running an illegal gambling business, money laundering and filing a false tax return. He was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.The case against Bowyer is part of a broader federal probe into illegal sports gambling that led to the arrest of Ohtani’s former Japanese language interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, who is currently serving a nearly five-year sentence for bank and tax fraud after stealing nearly $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player."The bottom line is, I am remorseful. I have made many poor choices in my life," Bowyer told the court before sentencing, his voice trembling.Bowyer will later […]
Bookmaker for MLB Star Shohei Ohtani’s Interpreter Sentenced to Year in Prison
A Southern California bookmaker who took thousands of sports bets from the former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani was sentenced to just over a year in prison Friday.Mathew Bowyer, now 50, had pleaded guilty a year ago to running an illegal gambling business, money laundering and filing a false tax return. He was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.The case against Bowyer is part of a broader federal probe into illegal sports gambling that led to the arrest of Ohtani’s former Japanese language interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, who is currently serving a nearly five-year sentence for bank and tax fraud after stealing nearly $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player."The bottom line is, I am remorseful. I have made many poor choices in my life," Bowyer told the court before sentencing, his voice trembling.Bowyer will later […]
Vasco faz proposta por Saldivia, zagueiro do Colo-Colo, ‘aprovado’ por Felipe Melo: “Jogará na Europa logo”
O zagueiro Alan Saldivia em ação pelo Colo-Colo (Marcos Brindicci/Getty Images)O Vasco segue correndo contra o tempo para fechar algumas últimas contratações para a sequência da temporada 2025 antes do fechamento da janela de transferências na próxima terça-feira (2) e o foco é na aquisição de novos zagueiros para o time de Fernando Diniz. Alan Saldivia, de 22 anos, destaque do Colo-Colo, do Chile, está na mira. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADEDe acordo com a imprensa chilena, o Colo-Colo analisa uma oferta oficial do Cruzmaltino por empréstimo com obrigação de compra. A proposta é de US$ 300 mil (R$ 1,6 milhão) pelo empréstimo de uma temporada, com obrigação de compra de 70% dos direitos econômicos por mais US$ 1,5 milhão (R$ 8 milhões).Sem poder contar com muitos defensores em seu elenco, o técnico Fernando Diniz tem utilizado o volante Hugo Moura na zaga […]
Ženské finále na MS v pětiboji bude bez české účasti
Hlaváčková obsadila ve své semifinálové skupině desáté místo, tedy první nepostupové. Body ztratila na překážkové dráze, která po olympiádě nahradila parkur a na níž pokazila závěr. Do kombinace běhu a střelby vyrazila ze 14. místa a navzdory posunu pořadím ji od postupu dělilo propastných 12 sekund.„Chyba na překážkové dráze se mi těžce doháněla. Čtyři holky, které jsem v kombi mohla seběhnout, jsem seběhla, ale nestřílela jsem úplně nejlépe. Už v kvalifikaci to nebylo úplně perfektní. Z těch devíti holek, co byly přede mnou, by musel někdo výrazně zachybovat, ale to se nestalo,“ citoval juniorskou vicemistryni světa Havlíčkovou český svaz v tiskové zprávě.Novotná mohla ve své skupině na postup pomýšlet až do závěrečného laser runu, ale nepovedla se jí střelba a obsadila 15. místo. „Když jsem přišla na kombi a viděla jsem, že postup je blízko, trochu mě to vzalo a začala jsem o tom víc přemýšlet a stresovat se. Na střelbě jsem to bohužel nechala. […]
Wallace shoots into European Masters title contention pre-Ryder Cup selection
Matt Wallace is aiming to remain king of the mountains after posting rounds of 65 and 63 on a marathon second day at the weather-disrupted European Masters to sit one shot off the clubhouse lead.The race to catch up following Thursday's lengthy fog delays in Switzerland saw defending champion Wallace play 36 holes on Friday, having been unable to start his first round on day one. The Englishman made 15 birdies and three bogeys across two rounds to reach 12 under par and sit one shot behind France's Adrien Saddier.Wallace is chasing a rookie Ryder Cup appearance, with Luke Donald naming his six captain's picks on Monday September 1, live from 2pm on Sky Sports.Wallace said: "I had three great nines. I would put it that way. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Take a closer […]
Casagrande ignora Jorge Sampaoli e indica Zubeldía como técnico do Atlético-MG: “Seria o ideal para o Galo”
Casagrande em entrevista ao "Benja Me Mucho" (Reprodução - YouTube)O Atlético-MG está no mercado em busca de um novo treinador após demitir Cuca. O técnico não resistiu à sequência negativa depois do retorno da paralisação para a Copa do Mundo de Clubes e foi desligado pelo Galo na manhã desta sexta-feira (29). O colunista do UOL Esporte, Casagrande, se manifestou sobre a troca. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE“O problema agora é o Galo encontrar o treinador certo para um trabalho a longo prazo e dar tempo para que ele dispense os jogadores que não quer no seu elenco e peça os que deseja trabalhar. Mas, para isso, o novo treinador precisa ter respaldo para que se espere que seu trabalho comece a dar resultados”, disse.Casagrande sugere ZubeldíaDesde a tomada de decisão pela troca de Cuca, ainda nessa quinta-feira, o Atlético-MG já está no […]
Be the first to leave a comment