Fresh off capturing their first-ever MLS Cup title, Lionel Messi‘s Inter Miami are already shifting their focus to an even more ambitious target: winning the Concacaf Champions Cup to secure a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup. To reach that level, the club and manager Javier Mascherano are looking to once again dip into the transfer market for elite talent.
According to reports out of Spain, the Herons have set their sights on Giovani Lo Celso. Even more encouraging for the Miami faithful? Real Betis are reportedly prepared to let the Argentine playmaker leave for a fee in the neighborhood of €5 million.
Local reports suggest that the relationship between the player and the club has cooled. Journalist Gonzalo de la Haza noted on Sevillanía TV that manager Manuel Pellegrini may be looking to move on from the Argentine midfielder.
“He has received an offer. He’s thinking about it and Betis will let him leave because I think Pellegrini has partly grown tired of Lo Celso,” de la Haza explained. “Pellegrini isn’t willing to give him minutes just because there’s a World Cup on the horizon”.
The initial connection between Lo Celso and Inter Miami reportedly sparked back in October, when the midfielder joined several Argentina teammates to watch Lionel Messi take on Atlanta United while the national team was on tour in the U.S. Since then, negotiations have gained momentum, and a formal offer meeting Betis’ expectations is expected soon.
Searching for consistency
Lo Celso’s diminished role in Seville has become impossible to ignore. The 29-year-old has failed to crack the starting XI in any of Betis‘ last five La Liga matches.
Since late November, he has seen a mere handful of minutes as a substitute against teams like Rayo Vallecano and Getafe, while remaining an unused sub in a marquee matchup against Barcelona.
The road to the 2026 World Cup runs through Miami
For Lo Celso, a move to South Florida represents a guaranteed starting role and a chance to remain a fixture in Lionel Scaloni’s plans for the 2026 World Cup. As Messi has previously alluded to, the MLS calendar offers a strategic advantage for aging stars and national team staples, allowing players to arrive at major summer tournaments with less physical wear and tear compared to those grinding through the grueling European season.