Inter Miami to play Crew Saturday, may pull off another MLS trade in coming weeks
Inter Miami may add at least one more player before the season opener against CF Montreal on Feb. 25.
“I don’t think the shop is closed for us,” coach Phil Neville said on Friday. “We’re hoping for maybe one more change. But it’s one where everything’s going to have to fall right for us. And we’re going to have to pray it comes off … it’s probably 70-30 not, but you never know.”
A club source said the player being pursued is on an MLS roster. If a deal is made, Miami might have to give up a forward, which is where the team has the most depth.
Neville stressed that he is happy with the roster he has now, but the club is always looking to improve.
“This group of players we have has incredible depth and great quality, and if this is the roster that’s going to go into the first part of the season, I’ll be more than happy.”
Miami has three preseason games over the next week, beginning with a closed-door scrimmage Saturday night against the Columbus Crew, followed by another closed-door game against CF Montreal on Wednesday and a Feb. 18 game against Austin FC that is open to the public as part of a fanfest.
Two players who will not play Saturday are center back Serhiy Kryvtsvo, out with a minor knee injury but expected back next week, and left back Noah Allen, out four to five weeks with an MCL injury.
“We’ve got three games this week that are massively important,” Neville said. “Our aim was to have everyone fit come 25th of February and touch wood it’s looking pretty good, bar Noah.”
Neville said the focus of the attack this year will be on two center forwards, likely Leo Campana and Josef Martinez starting, with attacking midfielders Rodolfo Pizarro, Nico Stefanelli and Bryce Duke as part of the offense, as well. Ariel Lassiter and Robbie Robinson are also threats with their speed.
Neville said Stefanelli was “probably our best player” in the scrimmage against New England last week. “Inter Miami fans need to be excited. He’s three or four weeks behind, but he can play any position. His ability to take the ball, find passes and he’s a real goal threat.”
Neville said the players are motivated and united following last week’s training trip to Sarasota. The team bonded during the trip, and Neville said they discovered, among other things, that the new players are good singers as part of the initiation included singing in front of the group.
On Tuesday, the players and coaches were invited to dinner at the home of co-owner Jose Mas.
“I thanked Jose and Jorge [Mas] because I have played on five teams and never had dinner at the owner’s house,” Campana said. “Those details make a difference.”
Note: Defender Tyler Hall of the Inter Miami youth academy is captain of the U.S. Under 17 team for the CONCACAF U17 Championship in Guatemala. The USA, which plays Barbados on Saturday, is seeking qualification for the U17 World Cup.
Hall, a Miramar native who played at Weston FC, said his game improved under Inter Miami youth coach Javi Morales, now an assistant under Neville. He also was inspired by Inter Miami right back DeAndre Yedlin, who played for the U.S. World Cup team.
“On and off the field he has helped me, made me feel like a first-team player,” said Hall, who has worked out numerous times with the first team. “I’ve been dreaming about playing against those guys for a long time. Getting to train alongside a guy like Yedlin who I’ve watched on TV, it’s crazy. It’s very cool.”
This story was originally published February 10, 2023 at 6:34 PM.