Inter Miami is working on closing a deal to sign Brazil midfielder Casemiro this summer, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Casemiro, 34, announced in January that he will depart Manchester United after his contract with the Premier League club expires on June 30.
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He would arrive at Inter Miami as a free agent during Major League Soccer’s secondary transfer window, which runs from July 13 to Sept. 2.
News of Miami’s advanced negotiations with Casemiro was first reported by The Athletic.
Inter Miami initially expressed interest in signing Casemiro, alongside MLS rivals LA Galaxy and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad.
Sources confirmed to ESPN Brazil’s Felipe Silva and Pedro Ivo Almeida that Miami and the Galaxy were among the clubs that contacted Casemiro in March before any formal offers were made.
However, Inter Miami is the player’s first choice, sources confirmed.
Inter Miami does not have a Designated Player spot available to offer Casemiro as Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Germán Berterame currently occupy the three positions.
Before signing him to a non-DP contract, however, Inter Miami would need to negotiate the issue of Casemiro’s discovery rights with LA Galaxy.
MLS rules state that clubs can sign up to five players to their discovery list at any given time. By listing a player, that team holds the priority right to begin negotiations over the signing.
The Galaxy reportedly own the player’s discovery rights, prohibiting Miami from signing Casemiro without first negotiating with the LA team.
Casemiro has been announced in Brazil’s squad for this summer’s World Cup in North America.
