Inter Miami has announced the signing of Brazil midfielder Casemiro, who joins the club after leaving Manchester United. The deal is set to run until the end of the 2027 MLS campaign, with an option to extend until June 2029. Following the announcement, Major League Soccer (MLS) confirmed it is investigating allegations of tampering against Inter Miami regarding the transfer.
The league stated it is gathering all relevant information and will not comment further until the review is complete. The investigation centres on Casemiro’s discovery rights, an MLS regulation that grants a specific club the first right of refusal to sign a player. Los Angeles Galaxy initially held these rights, but Inter Miami indicated they acquired them from the Galaxy.
Tampering allegations and discovery rights
This is not the first instance of Inter Miami facing scrutiny over transfer dealings. In 2021, the club was fined $2m for violating MLS rules during the signing of France midfielder Blaise Matuidi the previous year. The league found that Matuidi had been paid more than permitted, effectively giving Inter Miami four designated players instead of the allowed three.
The ‘Beckham rule’, introduced when David Beckham joined Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007, allows clubs to sign up to three designated players whose wages do not count towards the MLS salary cap. The current investigation has not specified whether the tampering allegations relate to direct negotiations with Casemiro before acquiring his discovery rights, or to the acquisition of the rights themselves.
In the MLS discovery process, each team can maintain a list of up to five players for whom they have priority to sign if those players decide to join the league. Clubs can transfer these discovery rights to other teams, allowing the acquiring club to then negotiate with the player. For example, LA Galaxy paid Charlotte FC $400,000 for Marco Reus’ discovery rights in 2024.
Casemiro’s career and future in Miami
Casemiro announced in January that he would depart Old Trafford at the end of the 2026-27 season, a mutual decision not to renew his contract. He made 160 appearances for Manchester United, scoring 26 goals and providing 14 assists. During his time with United, he won one EFL Cup and one FA Cup. He also scored in the League Cup final victory in 2023 and reached the Europa League final in May 2025.
Before his move to Manchester United in 2022, Casemiro won five Champions League titles with Real Madrid, along with three La Liga crowns and a Copa del Rey. He represented Brazil at the recent World Cup, where the team reached the last 16. Inter Miami co-owner Sir David Beckham expressed his delight at the signing, stating that Casemiro is a winner who has achieved much in the game.
Casemiro will join former Real Madrid and Manchester United team-mate Sergio Reguilon at Inter Miami, alongside Argentina’s World Cup finalists Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul. The club’s managing owner, Jorge Mas, highlighted Casemiro’s leadership, winning mentality, and extraordinary track record as qualities that embody the club’s values.
In the wake of Casemiro’s departure, Manchester United has focused on strengthening its midfield, acquiring Andrey Santos for £50m from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans for £35m from Aston Villa. Casemiro’s contract with Inter Miami includes an option to extend until 2029.
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Source: bbc.com
George Hartwell is the Senior Football Correspondent at News-GB.org, covering the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side with twelve years of reporting experience. He reported on West Country football before national coverage. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from the University of the West of England and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Bristol, he watches grassroots football and writes a tactics column. “Tactics tell you more than any scoreline.”