With the Major League Soccer (MLS) transfer window entering its final phase, teams are preparing to finalize key moves before the official closing date on April 23rd. In this context, Inter Miami, the team led by Lionel Messi, has made a maneuver that has sparked expectations about the possible arrival of a top-tier international star. The South Florida franchise has purchased an international roster spot from the Portland Timbers, allowing them to add a new foreign player for the 2025 season.
The operation was officially confirmed by the club through a statement detailing the transfer of the spot in exchange for $270,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM). According to MLS regulations, each team has a limited number of slots for players who do not possess U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. The acquisition of an additional spot often anticipates important strategic moves.
The immediate speculation centered on a name that has already been linked on several occasions with Inter Miami: Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian midfielder, one of the pillars of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in recent years, is in his final months in the Premier League after publicly announcing his departure from the Citizens. Although there have been no concrete negotiations so far, the maneuver carried out by the American team has revived rumors about his possible arrival in MLS.
A strategic move for a busy season
The purchase of the international spot was not an isolated action, but part of a broader plan that responds to the demands of a busy season for Inter Miami. The team is already competing in MLS and is in the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup, in addition to being classified for the 2025 Club World Cup, which will be held in the United States between June 15 and July 13.
In that sense, having a broad and high-caliber squad will be crucial to maintain the competitive level throughout a calendar with multiple fronts. Coach Javier Mascherano hinted at this in the preview of the match against Columbus Crew, stating: “I am one of the coaches who waits until the end, and while the market is open, anything can happen.”
Hours after those statements, the acquisition of the international spot was finalized, which seemed to confirm that Inter Miami does not rule out adding an additional figure in this stretch of the year or in the special transfer window that will open between July 1 and 10. This brief window, enabled by FIFA, will be exclusive to clubs participating in the 2025 Club World Cup.
Club World Cup looms large
The international tournament will have a new format with 32 teams divided into eight groups of four. Las Garzas will share a group with Palmeiras, Porto, and Al Ahly, and will be part of the inaugural match that will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The top two from each zone will advance to the round of 16 in a single-elimination system until the grand final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
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The club’s intention to add an international reinforcement in that context responds to the need to have reliable variants in all sectors of the field. Mascherano, however, has been emphatic that he does not want players who cannot commit to staying throughout the season, as he considers it would be a lack of respect for the players who have been there from day one.
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In that framework, the possibility of incorporating De Bruyne or another soccer player of international profile will depend both on the availability of the player and on the sports and contractual fit with the team. What is clear is that Inter Miami has moved pieces on the closing of the transfer book with a specific objective: to position itself as one of the candidates not only in MLS, but also internationally.
