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Inter Miami Nearing Loan Signing of New Defender—Report
Inter Miami are finalizing a deal to sign Brazilian left-footed center back Micael from Palmeiras on loan with an option to buy, a report has claimed.
After signing former Premier League left back Sergio Reguilón and reportedly securing a new starting goalkeeper in 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and Canadian international Dayne St. Clair, the Herons continue their aggressive offseason in search of back-to-back MLS Cup titles.
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According to Globo, Miami and Palmeiras are working on the final details of what would be an initial loan for Micael, with any agreement expected to include an option to make the move permanent.
Micael, 25, has had inconsistent playing time since returning to Brazil’s top flight in 2025 following a three-year stint in MLS with the Houston Dynamo from 2022 to 2024. With Palmeiras, he has played 28 games, including two in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
He officially joined the club at the end of February and had stepped into the starting lineup for the Campeonato Paulista and Campeonato Brasileiro, but lost his spot in May and has failed to play consistently since.
A spot for him in Inter Miami’s lineup is not clear from the outset. In the 3–1 win over Vancouver Whitecaps to win MLS Cup, manager Javier Mascherano opted for his common first-choice pairing of Maxi Falcón and Noah Allen, who carved out starting roles through the summer.
A move from Micael likely still leaves Miami with further roster flexibility as well, especially with an open Designated Player slot in the wake of Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets’s retirement.
A Quick Return to MLS
Micael would return to MLS for the second time in his career, having made 80 appearances with the Houston Dynamo after joining the club’s MLS Next Pro affiliate, Houston Dynamo 2, in April 2022 from his boyhood club, Atlético Mineiro.
Palmeiras paid a reported $4 million to the Dynamo for his services in 2024 after he played a critical role on the Houston side that captured the 2023 U.S. Open Cup title, beating Inter Miami in the final—one of the first matches after Lionel Messi signed that summer.
During his time with the Dynamo, he scored three goals in 80 appearances across all competitions, helping them reach the U.S. Open Cup in 2023 and finish fifth in the Western Conference in 2024.
Should the loan move to Inter Miami come to fruition, he could suit up in South America in January, with the Herons set to open preseason with three matches across Peru, Ecuador and Colombia, before their MLS opener against LAFC on Feb. 21.
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Ben Steiner is an American-Canadian journalist who brings in-depth experience, having covered the North American national teams, MLS, CPL, NWSL, NSL and Liga MX for prominent outlets, including MLSsoccer.com, CBC Sports, and OneSoccer.