Brazil star Casemiro to join Inter Miami after World Cup, pending final details
When Brazilian midfielder Casemiro lines up for Wednesday’s World Cup match against Scotland, it will likely be the first of many matches he will play in South Florida this year.
Casemiro, 34, is leaving Manchester United as a free agent and an Inter Miami source with knowledge of negotiations said the club has finalized a contract with him to join Lionel Messi and his teammates during MLS’s secondary transfer window, which runs from July 13 to Sept. 2.
The only holdup from making it official is that the club is still working out a compensation package with the Los Angeles Galaxy, which holds Casemiro’s “discovery rights,” an MLS roster mechanism that gives a club priority to negotiate with a player that club has put on its Discovery List.
Inter Miami cannot sign him until the Galaxy agrees to hand over his rights.
Then, there is the salary cap issue. Each MLS team is allowed only three designated players who can exceed the league maximum salary. Miami’s three DPs are Messi ($28.3 million), midfielder Rodrigo De Paul ($9.7 million) and forward German Berterame ($3.8 million), who signed with Miami this season on a $15 million transfer from Mexican club Monterrey.
Unless one of those three departs this summer or renegotiates for a lower salary this year, Casemiro’s contract would have to be under $2 million for this season, which is possible because he would be playing only half the season. He could then become a DP next season.
Casemiro scored nine goals in 33 games for Manchester United this season. Before signing with the EPL club in the summer of 2022, Casemiro won three La Liga titles and five Champions League Titles with Real Madrid (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022).