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Speculation is rife that Inter Miami are close to signing Brazilian forward Neymar Jr, according to a report by Marca on Saturday.
The Brazilian, who joined Saudi club Al-Hilal from the big-spending Paris Saint-Germain in 2023, formed a formidable partnership with former teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez as the trio dazzled European football during their time at Barcelona with their goal-scoring abilities and strong collaboration.
The trio’s partnership was dubbed ‘MSN’ during their time at the Catalan club.
Unfortunately, Neymar has struggled with fitness issues, and there are indications that Al-Hilal may terminate his contract, having featured only seven times for the Saudi club.
The Brazilian star signed a lucrative contract worth £130 million a year, placing him among the top-earning footballers in the world.
Neymar’s presence in the Inter Miami squad would undoubtedly boost their attacking prowess, potentially replicating his high-flying MSN partnership.
However, concerns remain over Neymar’s possible transfer to the MLS side, as the club has failed to strengthen its defensive lineup.
Jeff Carlisle, an ESPN analyst, opined on the Futbol Americas podcast, “I don’t think Neymar is what they need right now. They need to shore up the backline and bring in some additional quality there.
“Miami always seems to push right up to the salary cap and roster limits, only to find themselves in situations where they are dealing from a position of weakness. That could make this off-season especially difficult,” Carlisle added.
According to the report, Inter Miami conceded 49 goals last season, a figure far from the league’s top defences. Bringing in Neymar wouldn’t resolve that issue.
If the deal goes through, Neymar would reunite with his former teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.
Inter Miami’s hopes of winning the MLS Cup title were abruptly dashed in early November 2024 when they suffered a shock first-round elimination from the playoffs following a 3-2 home defeat to Atlanta United.
Having won the regular season with a record points total, the MLS Cup favourites, along with their eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, crashed out after losing twice in the best-of-three series.
“There’s also the question of whether Miami are interested in bringing back Suárez, who signed a one-year deal with the club.
“Although he has shown interest in staying, concerns over the 37-year-old’s fitness due to his chronic knee problems persist. Should he leave, a move for Neymar would make more sense, but only time will tell which position Miami will strengthen,” the report stated.
