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Despite rumors that Neymar is considering joining Lionel Messi in the MLS, Inter Miami head coach Gerardo Martino says he believes league salary restrictions will prevent his club from signing the Brazilian soccer star.
“With [Messi] and the boys already here, anything that can happen. What I can’t imagine is if the league doesn’t make the salary issue more flexible, how it would be carried out,” Martino said on Friday, per ESPN’s Lizzy Becherano.
Martino continued, per Becherano: “After writing it or saying it in the media it’s all good, nothing happens, it doesn’t have any consequences, but what would the implementation be like? And the reality is that if there is something that the MLS has, it is that the rules are strict and can’t be broken, unless the MLS decides to change.”
Neymar is signed with the Saudi Pro League’s Al Hilal through 2025 on a contract reportedly worth $300 million. His current club paid a $100 million transfer fee to acquire his contract from Paris Saint-Germain. Rumors he is now considering a move to the MLS were sparked by his recent purchase of property in the Miami area.
Martino said that Neymar’s decision to purchase property in the area was not enough to support the idea he might join Inter Miami.
“We cannot talk or mention a player because he bought a house here or has a girlfriend from Fort Lauderdale… First you have to analyze what the league offers and if this is really possible,” Martino said. “Starting from that base, today this is impossible, so there is no more continuity in this conversation.”
Martino previously coached Neymar during his tenure with FC Barcelona, where he also coached current Inter Miami players Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suárez.
Inter Miami currently has two designated players, Messi and Busquets, whose deals can exceed the MLS salary cap. The club used to have three designated players including Gregore, but following his transfer to the Brazilian league last February the team has opted for two DP spots this season.
Using two designated player slots instead of three allows Inter Miami to carry four under-22 players and gain about $550,000 in additional cap space, Paul Tenorio noted for The Athletic.
In order to add Neymar, Inter Miami would either need to convince him to sign at a discount or entirely reshape their roster in order to add a third designated player, Tenorio reported.
Messi, Alba and Busquets are reportedly still receiving wages from Barcelona, per Mundo Deportivo and Yahoo Sports, which may have made it easier for Alba and Busquets to take discounts in order to join Messi in Miami. For Neymar, whose current contract is set to expire in June 2025, that could be a harder sell.
Neymar returned to the pitch with Al Hilal after a year sidelined with an ACL injury in October. Brazil is “hopeful” that he will be available to play in World Cup qualifiers later this month, per ESPN’s Adriana Garcia.