Inside Inter Miami’s Head-Turning Pursuit of MLS Star Defender Ahead of 2026 Preseason

Inter Miami have had an aggressive offseason since winning the club’s first MLS Cup and they were seeking what would have been a blockbuster addition ahead of 2026, having made an offer to Vancouver Whitecaps FC for USMNT center back Tristan Blackmon.

Unfortunately for the Herons, their pursuit ultimately proved fruitless. Still, it has provided a dramatic storyline rarely seen in Major League Soccer, especially for a player under contract with his current club through 2026, with a team option for 2027.

Here, Sports Illustrated takes a look at the whole saga and where things stand ahead of Vancouver’s MLS preseason in Spain and Miami’s preparations in South America.

Miami Seeks Blackmon, Whitecaps Adamantly Refute - Jan. 7

Tristan Blackmon (left) played a key role against Luis Suárez (right) and Inter Miami in 2026. | Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images

On Jan. 7, The Miami Herald reported that Inter Miami were looking to add Blackmon ahead of the 2026 season, which would give them the MLS Defender of the Year, playing in front of Dayne St. Clair, their new goalkeeper and 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.

The Herald’s Michelle Kaufmann reported that the Herons were in the “final stages” of acquiring Blackmon for a fee near $3 million, before the Whitecaps CEO and Sporting Director, Axel Schuster provided a statement within two hours of the report, refuting the imminent deal with Miami.

“As previously communicated, since the end of last season, several clubs from both domestic and international markets have contacted us to express interest in our players. We view this interest as a positive confirmation of the quality and appeal of our team,” Schuster wrote to the media.

“Our clear objective is to keep the current group together and further strengthen it, to compete with a strong and competitive team again next season. Therefore, we firmly reject reports suggesting that we are close to completing the transfer of any of our players. The situation is, in fact, the exact opposite.”

At that point, it looked as though the deal was done—Blackmon would remain a Vancouver Whitecap for 2026, but the drama was far from over.

Inter Miami’s Payment Plan - Jan. 7

According to TransferMarkt’s Manuel Veth, Inter Miami’s offer of a $3 million transfer fee to Vancouver would not have been treated as a lump sum. Instead, the Herons hoped to pay for the 29-year-old defender in installments, which would not have allowed Vancouver to retool their squad in a significant way for 2026, when they aim to contend for MLS Cup and other titles.

Vancouver find themselves in a unique situation, needing to make the most of stars nearing 30 years old or older, while also continuing their pursuit of silverware with German legend Thomas Müller in the squad.

Blackmon’s Social Media - Jan. 13

The palm tree in Tristan's post is a Mexican Fan Palm, typically seen in desert climates.

Compare this a palm tree from near my house, which is a Cuban Royal Palm.

Blackmon is most likely in his hometown of Las Vegas. https://t.co/OYVbg5eRjm pic.twitter.com/EVK41ZCp7T
— ⭐️La Ventanita C.F. (@VentanitaCF) January 13, 2026

Following the Whitecaps’ denial of Miami’s initial offer, Blackmon added fuel to the fire on his personal social media. On Jan. 13, he posted a video compilation of his 2025 season, featuring highlights from his time with the Whitecaps and the USMNT. Yet, he sparked speculation by liking a comment from Miami’s St. Clair, prompting mass reactions from fans of both teams.

Days later, the Las Vegas native posted a photo of palm trees and the sky, leading to further speculation of whether the trees were in Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas or Vancouver, all of which feature palm trees.

Blackmon’s “Missed” Medical - Jan. 15

As players made their way back to local MLS markets for medicals and light training sessions ahead of the main preseason camps, The Athletic’s Tom Bogert reported that Blackmon missed Vancouver’s first day of medicals due to an ongoing contract dispute.

Blackmon made $800,000 on his 2025 contract and is expected to make a similar number in 2026. However, reports indicated that his absence was due to frustrations in restructuring the deal, something that could have happened with Miami and still could in Vancouver.

The Whitecaps confirmed to Sports Illustrated later that day that Blackmon was present in Vancouver and would be at the club’s facility the following day for his medicals.

Blackmon Arrives at Facility - Jan 16

#VWFC’s Tristan Blackmon had his medical earlier today at the NSDC.

He also had a kick-about on the pitch with some of his Caps teammates today.

🎥 via Har @CANSoccerDaily pic.twitter.com/T2O99Jl3DZ
— Har Journalist (@HarJournalist) January 15, 2026

The Whitecaps had scheduled two days of medical evaluations for players, and Blackmon showed up at the facility on Jan. 15, where he participated in a short training session and underwent his medical.

Schuster spoke to reporters for the first time in 2026, saying, “Tristan is in today and tomorrow we fly to Spain. That’s all we have to say.” He then added that he is “absolutely” sure that Blackmon would be in the Whitecaps squad to kick off the 2026 MLS campaign on Feb. 21.

“We had two calls with Miami and yesterday again,” he added. “There’s nothing between the two clubs. They respect our position.”

What Now?

The Whitecaps left for Spain on Friday, where they will take on several opponents at the Marbella Training Center. Blackmon is expected to make the trip and no reports have indicated otherwise.

Miami, meanwhile, signed Brazilian center back Micael to bolster their defense ahead of the 2026 campaign, but have yet to make any further strides with Blackmon. For the player’s side, he will look to secure a situation for the first half of 2026, with hopes of cracking the USMNT for the World Cup on home soil.