A potential reunion between Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul in South Florida is gaining serious momentum. According to multiple reports out of Argentina, Inter Miami are closing in on a deal to land the Atletico de Madrid midfielder, with the player having reportedly made a life-changing decision to accept the move.
While De Paul remains under contract with the Colchoneros until June 2026, journalist Gaston Edul reports that Atletico are open to selling the 30-year-old. Inter Miami are said to have already reached a verbal agreement with De Paul, with direct negotiations between the clubs now underway.
The MLS side is reportedly unwilling to pay De Paul’s full €15 million release clause, but a fee in the range of €12 million could be enough to seal the deal. “There’s a life decision made by Rodrigo De Paul, which is to accept the move, and I was told the contractual side of things will be worked out,” Edul said on Tuesday.
Should the deal be finalized, De Paul would become the latest high-profile addition to a star-studded Inter Miami roster that already includes Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba.
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF celebrates scoring his team’s second goal with teammate Jordi Alba #18 during the MLS match against CF Montreal. (Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Mascherano stays tight-lipped
While the buzz around De Paul’s potential transfer grows, Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano was cautious when asked about the situation during a press conference ahead of training on Tuesday.
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“You have much more information than I do, so I don’t need to comment much,” Mascherano said. “Obviously, everyone knows the kind of player he is, but I don’t like to talk about players who aren’t with us or don’t belong to our club. It would be disrespectful to those who are here, working hard every day. When and if he joins, then I’ll give a more in-depth opinion”.
Could De Paul replace Busquets?
De Paul’s potential arrival also comes amid growing speculation around the future of Sergio Busquets, whose form has been under scrutiny since Inter Miami’s performance at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
The veteran midfielder struggled with tempo, gave away dangerous balls, and was largely ineffective in orchestrating the attack—leading to questions about whether the team may be preparing for a midfield transition.
Crucially, Busquets’ possible departure would free up a Designated Player slot, currently shared by Messi and Jordi Alba, allowing Inter Miami to make a significant financial investment in De Paul without violating league roster rules.
