Good news for Messi as Inter Miami reportedly win tug of war against South American giants for Argentine player

Amid intense negotiations to shape the 2026 roster, Inter Miami reportedly prevailed over a South American powerhouse and secured the signing of another Argentine player to join Lionel Messi.

Racing Club defender Facundo Mura had been on Inter Miami’s radar for weeks, but the negotiations appeared to hit an unexpected obstacle when River Plate from Argentina expressed interest in signing him. However, the situation seems to have ended positively for the MLS side.

“Facundo Mura thanked River for their interest but will play for Inter Miami,” said transfer expert Cesar Luis Merlo on Tuesday in a post on his X account. “The defender will sign a contract through June 2029.”

For Javier Mascherano’s team, Mura represents an important addition. Despite being only 26 years old, he is an experienced player, having accumulated nearly 200 professional appearances in the Argentine league with Estudiantes, Colon, and Racing Club. In the 2025 season, he played 34 matches, scoring 4 goals and providing one assist.

Additionally, the terms of the signing are extremely favorable for Inter Miami, as Mura’s contract with Racing Club expires on December 31. This allows him to join the MLS side as a free agent, saving Inter Miami the effort and cost of negotiating with another club.

Inter Miami’s defense taking shape

Among the departures following Inter Miami’s MLS title win, Jordi Alba stood out, though he was not the only one. Alongside the Spanish star, who announced his retirement, Marcelo Weigandt also left, returning to Boca Juniors after his loan ended.

To replace Alba, Inter Miami acted quickly and secured the signing of another European star, Sergio Reguilon. At right-back, they extended Ian Fray’s contract, and with the reported addition of Mura, that area of the field now appears well-covered.

The question remains whether Inter Miami will pursue a top-level center-back to boost internal competition. Maximiliano Falcon was the standout in that position, but his colleagues—Gonzalo Lujan, Noah Allen, and Tomas Aviles—did not perform at the same convincing level.

Another player with international experience

Since Lionel Messi’s arrival, Inter Miami have signed many Spanish-speaking players with international experience to support the forward. Facundo Mura fits this profile, as he is another Argentine with a youth international credentials.

While Mura has not played for the senior national team, he represented Argentina at youth levels. He was part of the squad at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup alongside stars like Julian Alvarez, exiting in the round of 16. In 2020, he won the Pre-Olympic tournament with Argentina U-23, earning qualification for the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, though he was not called up for the Olympic squad.