Inter Miami expected to sign Venezuelan teen who played for Juventus U19 team

Inter Miami is expected to sign its third player in the coming days, and sources said it will be Venezuelan 19-year-old Christian Makoun.

The defensive midfielder, captain of the Venezuelan U20 team, spent last season on loan in Italy with the Juventus U19 team. Real Madrid and Arsenal had also shown interest in Makoun last year. Juventus decided not to exercise to option to sign him to a contract, so he will sign with Inter Miami during the next week.

An Inter Miami spokesperson said the team could not confirm the signing.

It has not been announced where he will play through the end of the year, as he wouldn’t join Inter Miami until training camp in January 2020.

Makoun is left-footed, 5-11, and spent eight years with Venezuelan club Zamora. He played for Venezuela in the U17 and U20 World Cups. He was born in Valencia, Venezuela, and his mother is Venezuelan, but he also has a Belgian passport because his Cameroonian father lives in Belgium. He is considered one of the most promising young South American players.

Last week Inter Miami signed its first two players – Argentine 19-year-olds Matias Pellegrini and Julian Carranaza. Paul McDonough, the team’s sporting director, said he hoped to have as many as eight players signed by the end of September.

This story was originally published August 1, 2019 at 9:13 PM.