Inter Miami’s managing owner, Jorge Mas, recently spoke to the media following MLS’s board of governors meetings in Washington, D.C. In his statement, Mas expressed his belief that the club has already succeeded by signing Lionel Messi, the reigning World Cup champion. He also discussed the potential impact of Messi’s arrival on the league and expressed hope that MLS would continue to loosen roster and salary-cap restrictions.
Mas emphasized that the signing of Messi and other high-profile players like Sergio Busquets has opened new chapters for the sport in the United States. He stated, “The fact that Lionel Messi is here, that Sergio Busquets is here and others are going to come, we’ve succeeded.” Mas also mentioned the infectious energy in the room during the owners’ meeting and expressed optimism about the league’s future growth.
In addition to discussing Messi’s arrival, Mas addressed Inter Miami’s ongoing efforts to push for fewer roster restrictions in MLS. Unlike many global soccer leagues, MLS has an extensive system of roster rule constraints. Mas has been vocal about his desire to lessen these restrictions in order to make MLS an elite league and promote its growth.
Currently, MLS teams are limited to three “designated player” slots. Messi and Busquets occupy two of these slots, leaving only one available. Mas mentioned that Inter Miami is utilizing the U-22 initiative, which allows teams to sign three players under the age of 22 if the third designated player is classified as a young designated player. This enables Inter Miami to sign striker Leo Campana as a young DP.
Mas revealed that Inter Miami has already reached deals with Paraguayan midfielder Diego Gomez (20) and Argentine midfielder Facundo Farias (20), both of whom would be eligible for the U-22 initiative. The club has also submitted a bid for Argentine center back Toto Aviles (19). However, these signings would leave no designated player spots for former Barcelona left back Jordi Alba, who reportedly made over $20 million last season. Mas acknowledged that there is still work to be done in terms of evolving the roster and salary cap rules.
Regarding the rumors linking Inter Miami to Luis Suárez, Mas clarified that Suárez is currently a Gremio player and under contract with the Brazilian club. He stated, “That’s not up to me, he’s under contract at Gremio with a release clause.” Mas added that there have been no talks between Inter Miami and Gremio regarding Suárez. It was reported that Suárez has a $70 million release clause in his Gremio contract, and the Brazilian club is not interested in negotiating.
In conclusion, Inter Miami’s managing owner, Jorge Mas, expressed his belief that the club has already succeeded by signing Lionel Messi. He also discussed the ongoing efforts to loosen roster and salary-cap restrictions in MLS and addressed the rumors linking Inter Miami to Luis Suárez. As the club continues to make high-profile signings and push for growth, the future looks promising for Inter Miami and MLS as a whole.