Inter Miami CF brought some good news to their club on Friday, officially confirming midfielder Rodrigo De Paul’s transfer from Atlético Madrid ahead of their match against FC Cincinnati. 

The announcement came just hours after MLS suspended Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba for the match, following the duo’s decision to skip the 2025 MLS All-Star Game in Austin, Texas, bringing a much-needed lift to the fanbase. 

“Assembling a team that inspires our fans to dream continues to be one of our primary aspirations, so we’re thrilled to sign a player of Rodrigo’s caliber,” said managing owner Jorge Mas. “He is a winner who has conquered the world stage; his ambitions match ours at Inter Miami, and we are hungry to achieve these goals together.”

De Paul, 31, comes to Miami with one of the best resumes to ever hit MLS at both the club and international level. He’s played a key figure alongside Messi in Argentina’s success, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup title and 2021 and 2024 Copa América championships. 

Meanwhile, he has made nearly 500 appearances at club level with Racing Club, Valencia, Udinese and Atlético Madrid, with 57 goals and 74 assists across all competitions. 

However, he joins Inter Miami on loan and will be paid through Targeted Allocation Money, which means he will make less than $1.5 million in 2025, rather than qualifying as a Designated Player, as Miami already has Messi, Luis Suárez and Sergio Busquets on DP contracts. 

As part of the deal, Atlético Madrid also extended De Paul’s contract through 2027 and loaned him to Miami with an obligation to buy at $17.6 million, according to reports, which would set a club-record transfer fee for the South Florida side. 

Coming into Inter Miami, De Paul joins a team with sky-high aspirations of winning the 2025 MLS Cup, as well as the 2025 Leagues Cup, with further goals of taking on the Concacaf Champions Cup and a second FIFA Club World Cup in the future. 

Mas added: “Several of the best players in global fútbol have already chosen Inter Miami as their home, and Rodrigo joining our roster is another landmark as we continue on this journey to change the trajectory of the sport in this country and make our fans proud.”

When Will Rodrigo De Paul Debut for Inter Miami?

Although Miami take on Cincinnati at home on Saturday, looking to move up from 41 points and fifth in the Eastern Conference, De Paul is expected to make his Herons debut against Liga MX’s Atlas in Leagues Cup action on July 30. 

Currently, he appears set to start in midfield alongside Busquets for head coach Javier Mascherano. However, that could change, given Busquets, 36, does not have a contract after 2025 and is unlikely to be a DP moving forward, with De Paul elevated to that status. 

“What brings me to Inter Miami is the desire to compete, win titles, to write the pages in the club’s history,” said De Paul in his announcement. “It’s a club that is shaping up to be great, to have a long history, so that many people follow this incredible team.”

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Incredible’—Inter Miami Announce Rodrigo De Paul on Loan From Atletico Madrid .

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