He won 5 Champions Leagues and could join Messi at Inter Miami | OneFootball

Javier Mascherano’s squad is looking to add quality and is competing with LA Galaxy to sign a star from European football.

As the 2025 MLS champion, Inter Miami began the new season with a major setback on the international stage. Led by Lionel Messi, the team lost to Nashville in the Concachampions round of 16, letting go of its first major objective of the year.

The international CONCACAF competition remains elusive for the Herons, who have continued to grow by leaps and bounds since Messi’s arrival at the club. Although Javier Mascherano’s squad already has one of the strongest rosters in MLS, the club’s management wants more.

The departure of Sergio Busquets left an important spot in the team’s midfield unfilled. To address that, outlets such as Sports Illustrated and The New York Times reported that Inter Miami has Casemiro on its shortlist to join the club this year.

The Brazilian midfielder, a Real Madrid icon where he won the Champions League five times, currently has a secondary role at Manchester United and is just months away from the end of his contract there. Having turned 34 in February, he is ready for a new challenge.

Given his age, there are few destinations that can offer Casemiro a high salary. That is why Inter Miami and LA Galaxy are negotiating for his signing, putting a significant wage on the table, since he would arrive as a free agent.

Mascherano’s options in midfield

So far, the Little Chief has three options in terms of players who can operate as defensive midfielders: David Ayala, David Ruiz, and Yannick Bright. In the series against Nashville, Mascherano chose to pair Bright with Rodrigo De Paul in front of the defense.

However, Inter Miami is expected to raise the bar and push in the transfer market to find a replacement for Sergio Busquets, who retired from football after winning the MLS.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.