Report: Parma to buy Heron homegrown Cremaschi for $4.7 million | OneFootball

BenCrem impressed coaches despite limited playing time

Fabrizio Romano, respected internationally for his reporting on the global soccer transfer market, is reporting that Serie A side Parma Calcio 1913 will exercise its option to buy Key Biscayne native and Inter Miami homegrown midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi for 4 million Euros ($4.65 million).

Cremaschi, 21, has made just nine appearances for Parma since joining the Italian side on loan in September. He suffered a knee injury against Torino in February and was sidelined for the rest of the Serie A season, which ended just over a week ago. "I Crociati" -- the Crusaders -- were 11-15-12 (45 points) and finished 13th in the 20-team league. (Napoli garnerd 82 points, one more than Inter Milan, to win the league title.)

"It would seem he has done enough to impress Parma coach Carlos Cuesta, who is prepared to give him more playing time in his second Serie A campaign," Suzy Campanale wrote in her report for Football Italia.

Paul Stephens, writing for American Soccer Now, said, "This is a big step forward for Cremaschi who obviously impressed in training and in his professionalism to convince Parma to trigger its option."

Cremaschi's energy and youth helped him become a fan favorite for Inter Miami. He scored eight goals and added nine assists in 107 appearances in the Pink & Black.

The rising star captained the United States' Under-20 team at the FIFA U20 World Cup and earned the Golden Boot with 5 goals and 2 assists. (He scored three of his goals in 37 minutes against New Caledonia.) For his international heroics and his role helping Inter Miami win the MLS Cup, Cremaschi was named U.S. Soccer 2025 Young Male Player of the Year.

Cremaschi played primarily as a central midfielder under coach Tata Martino in 2024, but Javier Mascherano used the hard-working BenCrem in a variety of positions, including right winger, right midfielder, and even wingback. Cremaschi expressed his frustration with Mascherano's lack of a consistent plan for him on Aug. 16, 2025:

"I go to the games and I have no idea where I'm going to play".

Mascherano told reporters that he hadn't heard any personal complaints from Cremaschi, he was open to Cremaschi privately confiding in him, and that players sometimes had to play in positions that they may not like in order to get playing time. Sixteen days later, Cremaschi was sent on loan to Parma.

Cremaschi starred at the FIFA U20 World Cup last year and is considered a candidate for the USMNT's 2028 World Cup roster. | USSF/GettyImages

The deal, if completed, comes at an opportune time for Inter Miami. The Herons are considered the favorites to sign former Real Madrid and soon-to-be former Manchester United star midfielder Casemiro, but they currently don't have the resources to sign the Brazilian under Major League Soccer's salary rules. Casemiro will be a free agent when his contract with ManU expires June 30, so the Herons won't have to pay a transfer fee, but his base salary at Man United was about $23.4 million (Leo Messi earns about $28.3 million per season).

It's likely the Herons will try to sell striker Germán Berterame, one of the three designated players allowed by MLS, in order to free a spot for Casemiro. Teams are allowed to pay DPs more than the league maximum; currently Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Berterame hold those spots on the Miami roster. Or Los Garzas may arrange a short-term contract through December and try to clear a DP spot in the winter transfer window.

Still, I'm confident managing owner Jorge Mas and the Herons' braintrust will find a way. Inter Miami has repeatedly shown its ability to realize the team's slogan: "Freedom to Dream."

I'm dreaming of a very differenct Miami lineup when MLS play resumes after the World Cup.