Inter Miami is the latest franchise on the block in the MLS and the team part-owned by David Beckham is already evolving before our very eyes. Their first year in the MLS was always going to be a season of stability and progression, a chance for the self-nicknamed Herons to cement themselves in the league before stamping their authority at the top end of the table.
A quick glance at the Herons’ current first-team roster proves just that. There are very few high-profile names in Diego Alonso’s roster, with only Matias Pellegrini and Rodolfo Pizarro likely to whet the appetite of soccer fans in Miami. Nevertheless, the squad is also peppered with plenty of proven MLS names, which should ensure they put up a fair fight when soccer returns Stateside in July.
With the MLS is Back Tournament all set to enter full swing, Inter Miami will be keen to make their mark in Orlando. However, Beckham and co. may well have one eye on next season already. Squad strengthening with marquee signings could turn the Herons into a major MLS force. The MLS is ripe for futures bets from American soccer fans on potential MLS Cup winners in the coming years, with FOX Bet leading the way for legalized bets in a growing number of US states. Sportsbooks will be inundated with prop bets on Beckham’s new-look team if their planned acquisitions come to fruition.
The first of those acquisitions could well be French striker Antoine Griezmann, who has put Inter Miami on red alert after admitting to the press that he is excited about the prospect of a move to the MLS. Just eight goals in 26 La Liga games last season saw Griezmann fail to live up to the expectations of the Barcelona faithful, following a huge £107.6m switch from Atletico Madrid. Griezmann told the Los Angeles Times recently that once he’s won Spain’s domestic league and the Champions League with the Catalan giants, he would look to “end his career in the United States”.
Beckham is also hoping to utilize some of his contact from his own playing days to add marquee quality to the Inter Miami squad over the coming seasons. Iconic Spanish defender Sergio Ramos played alongside Beckham during the Englishman’s time at Real Madrid. Ramos has played his entire career at the Bernabéu but is plotting a move to the MLS at the end of his current deal in 2022. Ramos is desperate to break Real’s club appearances record set by former striker Raul first.
Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas also said he “likes the idea” of playing in the MLS as he moves towards the Indian summer of his career. Beckham may not have given up hope on enticing fellow Spanish playmaker David Silva to Miami at the end of his Manchester City contract this summer. Silva is hotly tipped to agree to a lucrative payday in the Qatar Stars League, with Doha-based Al-Duhail desperate to land him and blow the likes of Miami out of the water in terms of the financial package on the table.
Meanwhile, the Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Inter Miami want to compete with the original Inter – Inter Milan – for the services of Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani. The powerhouse sees his contract come to an end at Paris Saint-Germain this month and the report in the Italian press suggests Miami could offer a more lucrative wage for Cavani’s services than Inter are willing to provide. Cavani would be a tremendous focal point for the Inter Miami team. He would be someone that could win the physical battle and be adept with the ball at his feet too. Soon-to-be big-spending Newcastle United are also likely to be in the hunt for Cavani too.
The phrase “Rome wasn’t built in a day” has never been more apt than describing the rise of Inter Miami. The Herons have exceptional ambitions and aspirations, but they will take a few years to mould the team they want to compete with the likes of Atlanta United and co. on the domestic and continental stages.
