Lionel Messi loses important teammate as Inter Miami announce unexpected trade with MLS rivals

As Lionel Messi gears up for the highly anticipated Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal against the Vancouver Whitecaps, Inter Miami have announced the departure of Finnish forward Robert Taylor. The club traded Taylor to Austin FC, marking a significant shift in its roster.

In exchange for Taylor, Inter Miami secured up to $750,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM). The deal includes $450,000 in GAM for 2025, $250,000 for 2026, and an additional $50,000 for 2027 if Taylor meets certain performance benchmarks.

Taylor played a pivotal role in Messi’s early days with the team, contributing significantly to Inter Miami’s historic success. His efforts helped secure the inaugural Leagues Cup title in 2023 and the 2024 Supporters’ Shield with a record-breaking 74 points during the regular season.

Despite Taylor’s exit, Inter Miami received some good news ahead of the semifinal clash. Midfielder Federico Redondo has recovered from injury and is expected to be available for the crucial matchup as Messi and his squad aim to bring home another trophy.

Lionel Messi #10 celebrates with Robert Taylor #16 of Inter Miami after Taylor’s goal scored during the first half against Real Salt Lake at Chase Stadium. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Taylor’s praise for Messi

In an interview with Finnish outlet MTVuutiset, Taylor shared glowing remarks about playing alongside Lionel Messi, describing the experience as a career highlight.

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“Playing with the greatest player of all time, in my opinion, is a dream come true,” Taylor said. “It’s incredibly easy for others to adapt to his playing style. He’s so good with the ball… he makes 100% correct decisions”.

“Whenever he has the ball, we try to make the right runs and create space,” he added. “It’s amazing to play with him. Throughout my career, I’ve played with many great players, but everyone knows Lionel Messi is the best. It’s never been this easy to play with anyone else”.

Taylor and Messi’s partnership

Taylor spent four seasons with Inter Miami, tallying 18 goals and 18 assists in 116 appearances. His on-field chemistry with Messi was evident, as the duo played 28 matches together. Taylor scored twice from Messi’s assists, while the Argentine star found the net three times from Taylor’s service.