Inter Miami and U.S. national team defender DeAndre Yedlin said to be closer to deal
Conversations between Inter Miami and U.S. national team defender DeAndre Yedlin have progressed in the past few days and the two sides are getting closer to working out a deal that would add a significant piece to a youth-filled revamped roster.
The club and player are ironing out details and awaiting exit paperwork from Turkish club Galatasaray, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations. Other clubs have shown interest in the defender, but Miami is the likeliest destination, and a deal could be reached by next week if everything falls into place.
Galatasaray has agreed to a buyout, so Miami would not have to pay a transfer fee.
Yedlin, 28, is a Seattle native and former Seattle Sounder with a strong tie to Inter Miami chief soccer officer Chris Henderson, who previously worked with the Sounders and signed Yedlin to his first contract. According to the source Yedlin is intrigued by the idea of helping Henderson in his rebuild of the roster and has had good dialogue with club co-owner Jorge Mas.
Yedlin’s partner, Crystal Rodriguez, had a baby girl five months ago and they are seeking a return to the United States to raise her closer to family. He also wants to be closer to his maternal grandparents, who helped raise him.
Henderson hinted when Inter Miami traded defender Christian Makoun to Charlotte FC a few weeks ago that the deal would position the club for “potentially exciting moves that will strengthen the roster.”
Another team source told the Herald at the time that “an exciting player” would likely come out of the trade via the MLS Allocation List. In exchange for Makoun, Miami got the No. 1 spot in the MLS Allocation Ranking, which gives the club first dibs at a long list of select U.S. Men’s National Team players, youth U.S. National Team players, and former MLS players returning to the league.
Yedlin last played in MLS in 2014 and has since spent time in England with Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland, and Newcastle United and in Turkey, where he played the past two seasons for Galatasaray. He has played in 26 games in the Turkish league and scored one goal.
He has also made 71 appearances for the U.S. national team and is the most experienced player on the roster for upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against El Salvador, Canada and Honduras. The United States plays El Salvador in Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday (7 p.m., ESNPN2); against Canada in Hamilton, Ontario on Jan. 30; and against Honduras Feb. 2 in St. Paul, Minn.
Inter Miami plays its first public preseason match on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. against Peruvian club Universitario de Deportes “La U”. It is the team’s first friendly against an international opponent. Tickets are $10 and available through Ticketmaster.com