Pizarro could end up at L.A. Galaxy as Inter Miami frees up room for Messi, Busquets
Rodolfo Pizarro has likely played his last game in an Inter Miami uniform and might land with the Los Angeles Galaxy, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations.
The MLS secondary transfer window opened Wednesday, and the dominoes will begin falling to pave the way for the highly anticipated mid-July arrivals of Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and perhaps a few other new players.
In order to fit Messi and Busquets on the roster, Inter Miami needs to free up two of three allowable designated player (DP) spots. The three current DPs are Pizarro, Leo Campana and Gregore, who is injured and whose roster designation could change. Pizarro, the highest paid of that trio at $3.35 million, is in the final year of his contract, and has had an up and down career since arriving from Mexican club Monterrey in 2020 amid much fanfare.
The 29-year-old Mexican midfielder was Miami’s first DP and scored the first goal in club history. He has scored seven goals and had 13 assists in 58 games with Inter Miami. So far this season he has no goals and one assist in 10 starts. He missed seven games with a hamstring injury.
In 2022, Pizarro was sent on loan back to Monterrey, where he scored one goal and had three assists in 30 appearances.
Pizarro was asked about his future with Inter Miami during a locker room interview with Miami Total Futbol and Deporte Total USA after Inter Miami’s 2-2 tie with the Columbus Crew on Saturday night. He said he was unsure where he would land, adding that he didn’t even know he could be traded while still under contract with a team. “We all know with the moves the team is making that that there’s a possibility any of us could be gone to another team and we’ll see what happens the next few days.
“It is strange and has happened to former teammates. They are here one day, gone the next. I think this is the only league in the world that does this, but these are the rules, and we must follow them.”
Pizarro played for newly hired Miami coach Tata Martino when he was with the Mexican national team and said would have liked a chance to play for him again.
“[Martino] is a coach whose track record speaks for itself, and I would have liked to have played under him,” Pizarro said. “More than anything, though, I am left with a bitter taste in my mouth about not being able to repay all the confidence the club owners had in me. They have made a great effort to have a good team, but sadly, it never really went well for us.”
Pizarro said he senses a renewed passion and joy on the team the past few games after a long losing stretch, and suggested he felt restricted under former coach Phil Neville. “Unfortunately, as a player you are influenced by the coach, and you can’t feel comfortable and play with freedom and joy when you have a lot of rules. It is the first time I had so many rules where I couldn’t move side to side. At first, I enjoyed playing here a lot, but after that I was unable to be the player I wanted to be, and that club ownership hoped I would be.”