
<p>In a remarkable development, Lionel Messi, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, will join Inter Miami, a <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/mls-tv-schedule/">Major League Soccer</a> team. However, in order to register him as a Designated Player, Rodolfo Pizarro will need to leave.</p>



<p>The South Florida club made the stunning transfer announcement on June 7. After leaving <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/psg-tv-schedule/">Paris Saint-Germain</a>, Messi became a free agent. Despite reported interest from Saudi Arabia, he ultimately opted to join Inter Miami.</p>



<p>The 36-year-old’s unveiling is possible during halftime of the Gold Cup final on Sunday. According to <a href="https://theathletic.com/4680320/2023/07/10/messi-inter-miami-introduction-gold-cup/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Athletic</a>, MLS has approached CONCACAF, Fox, and Univision about <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/fox-may-air-messi-unveiling-during-gold-cup-final-halftime-20230711-WST-442516.html">broadcasting the presentation in whole or in part.</a></p>



<p>The Gold Cup final will take place at DRV Pink Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This will happen at the same time as an event called “The Unveil,” advertised by Inter Miami. Meanwhile, the World Cup winner will likely make his first appearance for the club on July 21 against Cruz Azul.</p>



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<h2>Who will Inter Miami sacrifice to get Messi?</h2>



<p>The signing of Lionel Messi, a designated player, necessitates the departure of a player. This means someone must go for him to be registered. As a result, Rodolfo Pizarro is nearing an agreement to join AEK Athens in Greece.</p>



<p>The fact that Pizarro is a designated player certainly dampened interest from inside Major League Soccer. Once the deal is finalized, he will sign a two-year contract with the Greek club. Thus Miami will free a much-needed DP spot.</p>



<h2>Rodolfo Pizarro expected in Greece next week</h2>



<p>The 29-year-old will be in Athens early next week to officially join the club. This information came from the Greek sports page, <a href="https://www.sport24.gr/football/poio-to-statoys-toy-pisaro-kai-poy-pontarei-i-aek-stin-poly-dyskoli-prospatheia-tis-gia-ton-mexikano.10108142.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sport24</a>. The transfer agreement between the two clubs will be complete in a few hours.</p>



<p>The Mexican player has been given a two-year deal by AEK at $1.3 million euros, which might increase to around $1.7 million with bonuses.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="MESSI MANIA at Inter MIAMI: Futbol Miami TV interview #mls" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OA64FsMbnk8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
</div></figure>



<p>Photo credit: IMAGO / NurPhoto</p>


Inter Miami are closing a deal to sell Rodolfo Pizarro that will clear space on the club's DP roster for Lionel Messi

Inter Miami set to offload Rodolfo Pizarro to make room for Messi


<p>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.</p>



<p>His remarks come a few weeks before the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/messi-picks-inter-miami-in-new-milestone-for-us-soccer-20230607-WST-436495.html">arrival of Lionel Messi</a>, arguably the <a href="https://youtu.be/OA64FsMbnk8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biggest signing in MLS history</a>. The league has a stringent salary cap. Adding the likes of Messi and Sergio Busquets with potential for <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/mls-inter-miami-closes-in-on-signing-sergio-ramos-37-20230703-WST-441089.html">Sergio Ramos</a> and Jordi Alba puts a strain on that. Therefore, the club will have to <a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/roster-rules-and-regulations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trade or release one of its designated players</a>.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<h2>Pizarro is not fan of MLS trades policy</h2>



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



<p>“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.”</p>



<p>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.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just read my "rights" were traded to Chicago… Love how the MLS works, pretty funny.  <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/rightlessinthemls?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#rightlessinthemls</a></p>— Robbie Rogers (@robbierogers) <a href="https://twitter.com/robbierogers/status/298480460336607232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2013</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<h5>Pizarro could team up with Martino again</h5>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>Inter Miami named <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/tata-martino-joins-forces-with-lionel-messi-at-inter-miami-20230628-WST-439889.html">Tata Martino as its new head coach</a> 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.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO &amp; NurPhoto</em></p>


Rodolfo Pizarro, a midfielder for Inter Miami, spoke out against the MLS trades policy because he may be leaving the club.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Rodolfo Pizarro"

Inter Miami CF

Inter Miami set to offload Rodolfo Pizarro to make room for Messi

Inter Miami CF

Inter Miami's Pizarro criticizes MLS player trades without consent