Lionel Messi capped the 2025 season by leading Inter Miami to the MLS Cup, but the front office is already shifting focus toward strengthening the squad for next year. Starting internally, three of Messi’s teammates will now have to look for new clubs ahead of the upcoming campaign.
The retirements of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba open the door for Inter Miami to pursue another high-profile signing, with Messi and Rodrigo De Paul occupying the Designated Player slots. Still, before any major additions are announced, several players will be moving on from Fort Lauderdale.
With MLS releasing the Eligible Player Lists for Offseason Roster Mechanisms, Fafa Picault, Ryan Sailor, and Allen Obando are the three Inter Miami players set to be offloaded. Picault and Sailor have contracts expiring in December 2025, while the Ecuadorian forward has been included in the End-of-Year Waivers.
Picault logged the most minutes of the trio, appearing in 28 matches and scoring four goals, but with Tadeo Allende and Mateo Silvetti earning starting roles through stronger performances, the veteran winger’s importance in the squad diminished. Sailor, meanwhile, played just 184 minutes across six matches, serving mostly as an unused substitute.
Ryan Sailor (L), Fafa Picault (M), and Allen Obando (R) wearing the Inter Miami jersey.
Obando’s case is more complicated, as the 19-year-old arrived as a promising long-term prospect, but inconsistent performances and physical setbacks pushed him out of the rotation. He managed only seven appearances and two goals since joining in March, falling out of favor with both the coaching staff and the front office.
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As a result, Obando is the lone Inter Miami player listed in MLS’s End-of-Year Waivers, with San Jose holding the first pick and Miami selecting 30th in each round. Clubs will have until Thursday to submit a claim, with Obando hoping to land a fresh opportunity as the Herons turn to reinforcing the squad for their 2026 title defense.
Three Inter Miami players still up in the air
Picault, Sailor, and Obando appear set to depart Messi’s team, but several other roster decisions remain unresolved—aside from the situation surrounding star striker Luis Suárez—particularly involving three Argentine players.
Inter Miami’s Marcelo Weigandt, Rocco Ríos-Novo, and Óscar Ustari were listed in Stage 1 of the Re-Entry Process. Weigandt and Ríos-Novo have loan deals expiring, and it remains unclear whether the club will attempt to secure their permanent transfers. Ustari is out of contract as well, raising further questions as Miami risk losing two of their most-used goalkeepers from the 2025 season.
