Lizzy BecheranoJul 26, 2025, 09:40 AM ET
Lizzy BecheranoJul 26, 2025, 09:40 AM ET
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Rodrigo De Paulhas signed forInter Miami CF, joining theMLSteam fromLaLigagiantsAtlético Madridon loan for the remainder of the 2025 season withan option to makethe move permanent. He’s the latest international soccer superstar to move to South Florida, and affectionately known asLionel Messi’s bodyguard, the latest of the Argentine’s footballing friends to join him at Inter.
The 31-year-old midfielder now comes to North America at the height of his powers, as evidenced by his importance to both Atlético andArgentinathroughout the past 12 months, in a move that no one — not even Inter Miami ownership — saw coming. Despite the challenges posed by MLS’ incredibly strict roster rules that made the deal nearly impossible to complete, Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas found the immensely creative solution to clear the way for De Paul to wear the Herons’ pink.
Speaking to sources in Miami, Madrid and beyond, ESPN tells the story of how De Paul got on Inter’s radar, how the club fit him into MLS’ salary structure, and what his arrival means for their future.
De Paul is coming off a great season in Spain, recording three goals and ten assists in 53 appearances in 2024-25.
He was an integral part of Atlético’s squad, both on and off the pitch, becoming a staple for manager Diego Simeone.
Sources told ESPN that De Paul was a leader in the Atlético locker room while playing some of his best football in 2024-25 since joining the team in 2021. He played a large role in helping Argentina teammateJulián Álvarezsettle into his first season at the Metropolitano, serving as an important figure.
When De Paul understood that Atlético were not prepared to offer the terms he wanted in a new contract, though, he sought a future elsewhere. Sources told ESPN that De Paul was the one to make contact with Inter Miami, expressing his interest in joining the project, before the club’s representatives initiated preliminary discussions.
The talks between the two parties accelerated when Mas traveled to Spain to personally negotiate the deal, a source told ESPN.
Inter Miami’s co-owner was determined not to return to Florida until the deal was completed, and after several conversations, De Paul’s arrival became a matter of how and not when.
Now that the ink is dry, Inter Miami will pay De Paul a prorated $1.5 million for the duration of his loan, and the option to make his move permanent appears to be a formality. A source told ESPN that a four-year contract is ready to be signed in December, one that will pay him $12 million annually.
Every team in MLS must abide by the league’s salary budget, which, depending on how a club has constructed its roster and what international competitions it has qualified for, is between $11,105,000 and $13,855,000. Each team is afforded three Designated Player (DP) roster slots, a team-building mechanism that caps a particular player’s budget charge at $743,750, effectively giving front offices the ability to spend well beyond the salary budget on three players.
MLS rules allow for DP contracts to be bought down to non-DP deals using another roster-building mechanism called allocation money.
However, the contracts of Miami’s three DPs (Jordi Alba,Sergio Busquetsand Messi) are too large to do so, leaving Inter no ability to free up a DP slot for De Paul and his $12 million salary.
Source: Espnsoccer
