Inter Miami's Pizarro criticizes MLS player trades without consent

Inter Miami midfielder Rodolfo Pizarro spoke out against the strategy of player trades in MLS on Wednesday morning. Pizarro is among the trade rumors out of Inter Miami in a summer overhaul at the club.

His remarks come a few weeks before the arrival of Lionel Messi, arguably the biggest signing in MLS history. The league has a stringent salary cap. Adding the likes of Messi and Sergio Busquets with potential for Sergio Ramos and Jordi Alba puts a strain on that. Therefore, the club will have to trade or release one of its designated players.

That is where most point to the 29-year-old Mexican international. Pizarro is the highest-paid player in Miami at $3.35 million per year. Even though Pizarro has been struggling, he finds it challenging to keep giving his all while he may be departing.

Pizarro is not fan of MLS trades policy

On Wednesday, Pizarro addressed the press about what it is like to have that threat of a trade.

“I do think it’s hard,” said Pizarro. “I have a contract — I didn’t know I could be traded anyways. It’s a bit strange … I think it’s the only league in the world that does this.”

Of course, Pizarro is not the first to air complaints about the MLS trade policy. Players can have their rights traded to other clubs within the league at the turn of a dime. While these are rights to the players for clubs, the actual players find it ironic that they have no rights in where they go.

Pizarro could team up with Martino again

The current season is Pizarro’s last one under contract with the Herons. The team may decide how to handle his future in a few different ways, including buying out the rest of his contract or trading him to another MLS team. The Los Angeles Galaxy, which is suffering due to an international transfer restriction, has links to a possible move for Pizarro.

He has started 12 games this season but has only contributed one assist. For the whole 2022 season, he went on loan to Liga MX team Monterrey, where he was just as dominant as he was with the club.

Inter Miami named Tata Martino as its new head coach last week. Martino and Pizarro know one another through their time spent working together on the Mexican national team when Martino served as Pizarro’s coach. The Argentine coach has had less time to work with his team since he is in Miami waiting for a work visa.

PHOTO: IMAGO & NurPhoto