Messi receives boost as Inter Miami sign midfielder Preston Plambeck for 2026 MLS season

Inter Miami are playing their final matches before Major League Soccer pauses at the end of May due to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In that context, Lionel Messi will have a new permanent teammate after the club signed Preston Plambeck.

“Inter Miami CF announced today it has signed Academy graduate Preston Plambeck to a contract running through the end of the 2026 Major League Soccer (MLS) season,” the Herons explained in a statement published on their official website Wednesday. The club also detailed that the deal includes options for the 2027, 2028, and 2029 seasons.

Plambeck is a 20-year-old midfielder who developed in Inter Miami’s academy and gradually climbed through the ranks before joining the club’s MLS NEXT Pro side in 2025. Since then, he has recorded three goals and three assists in 26 appearances for Inter Miami II.

Those performances earned Preston the opportunity to join the club’s senior squad this year and make his MLS debut under Guillermo Hoyos. The coach gave him his first chance on April 25, when he replaced David Ruiz in the 69th minute of a 1-1 draw against the New England Revolution. Last weekend, Plambeck added another 12 minutes in the 4-2 victory over Toronto FC.

An interesting addition for Inter Miami

Preston Plambeck’s involvement with Inter Miami’s first team, along with the decision to sign him to a professional contract for the remainder of the season, is tied not only to the qualities the young midfielder has shown so far, but also to the need to solve an issue the Herons have faced this year.

After Sergio Busquets retired at the end of 2025, Inter Miami have struggled to rebuild their midfield. David Ayala arrived as a signing expected to fill that role, but injuries and inconsistent performances have complicated those plans. Yannick Bright has largely taken over those responsibilities, but the two-game suspension he served several weeks ago exposed the lack of depth on the roster in that area.

That forced Hoyos to experiment with Rodrigo De Paul, David Ruiz, and Telasco Segovia in deeper roles, something that did not work particularly well because it left Lionel Messi with less support in the creative phase. That is why having Preston Plambeck consistently available could become a useful option for Inter Miami moving forward.

Plambeck’s comments

In the same statement released by the club, Preston Plambeck shared his thoughts on becoming a professional soccer player. “I’ve worked my whole life to reach this moment, and I want to make my family proud,” said the young midfielder. “I think my pathway through the Academy and the Second Team helped shape me by teaching me discipline and helping me understand the Club’s style of play through all the coaches who guided me along the way.”