He may be 38, but Lionel Messi is showing up and making a statement with Inter Miami in the MLS. Helping his team to get to 5 place in the standings, the LM10 is currently leading the league with 16 goals in 17 matches. Despite Cincinnati blanking Inter Miami 3-0 in their most recent clash, that status did not change. Yet, as good as the World Cup winner’s form has been, Miami ins’t without its problems.
One of its biggest issues has been the midfield. “You clearly have a midfield that can’t keep up with some of the better teams in Major League Soccer,” said ESPN commentator Herculez Gomez. Now that might sound shocking, but Gomez pointed out the age of Miami’s midfield. Sergio Busquets (37) and Jordi Alba (36) aren’t getting any younger, and that’s why Miami is making a big move.
With the news of Rodrigo De Paul and Inter Miami closing in on a deal, Herculez Gomez took to social media to give his two cents. The former soccer player appeared on his YouTube channel to explain just how Lionel Messi’s Argentine teammate’s transfer to Inter Miami will help Messi and the whole team. “Frankly… Talented as they come, Rodrigo De Paul,” said Gomez.
“An enforcer, if you will. Messi’s bodyguard, as he’s been portrayed. A protector, facilitator… the first one to spring the attack there to cling things up. A guy that’s not as scared to roll up the sleeves and get dirty for his team, and has a lot of quality to his game in the offensive third as well,” Herculez Gomez said about the 31-year-old midfielder, and LM10’s national teammate.
Oct 2, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi (10) smiles in the second half at Lower.com Field.
Gomez continued, saying why pursuing Rodrigo De Paul made sense for Inter Miami. Not only will stronger support in the midfield satisfy Lionel Messi, convincing him to stay with Miami, De Paul’s arrival will also solve the Sergio Busquets problem. You see, the veteran midfielder’s contract with Inter Miami expires at the end of this year, opening up a slot that De Paul will fill. And that detail brings us to the other part of the story.
Lionel Messi’s team is yet to make it official
While ESPN was the first outlet to report the move, it’s insider information. However, ESPN wasn’t the only one, as the Associated Press has also confirmed the move, once again through their sources. AP’s Alanis Thames reported that the “Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul has agreed to contract terms with Inter Miami.”
Although she didn’t clarify the exact terms of the contract, Thames claimed that AP learned about it from “a person familiar with the negotiations,” between the three parties. That’s because De Paul’s current team, Atlético Madrid, will loan him to Inter Miami for the rest of 2025, as per The Score. Meanwhile, told GiveMeSports’ Tom Bogert and Ben Jacobs that Lionel Messi’s teammate will sign a four-year contract.
Miami Herald’s Michelle Kaufman backed up this claim on X. “Per reliable source: Inter Miami, Rodrigo De Paul have agreed to a 4-yr deal. Loan through 2025 w/option to purchase. Targeting Leagues Cup for his debut. Finalizing paperwork. More to come,” wrote the reporter. The Score also added that the transfer fees for the midfielder will be $17 million plus add-ons.
That will make Lionel Messi’s teammate one of the most expensive transfers in MLS history. That being said, sources also claim that the soccer star won’t get the Designated Player moniker right away. That will come when the deal becomes permanent ahead of the 2026 season. So it’s clear that while Miami has yet to make it official, it’s only a matter of time.
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