Why Inter Miami Face Impossible Task to Sign Casemiro After Man Utd Exit

Inter Miami might have financial might, but they have mostly exhausted MLS roster building tools.

Casemiro has confirmed he will leave Man Utd in the summer. | Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images

Entering his final few weeks with Manchester United, Brazilian defensive midfielder Casemiro is surveying his options for the next step in his career and several MLS clubs are reportedly interested. 

Earlier this week, reports emerged that Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami were leading the race for the Brazilian, with Casemiro’s camp reportedly beginning negotiations with the South Florida side. The development emerged after previous rumors linked him to the LA Galaxy.

Yet, among all MLS teams, Miami might face the biggest challenge in adding Casemiro to their roster.

The Herons simply do not have space under the MLS salary cap to add him to their system, and would need to take on several roster adjustments to fit him into their salary structure, despite being “really serious” about signing the Man Utd star, according to Fabrizio Romano.

While the Brazilian may be intrigued by the project, which has recently moved to Miami proper at Nu Stadium, a move to the reigning MLS Cup champions would be more complex than any transfer of his career, particularly given that his current deal reportedly pays $20 million per season at Old Trafford.

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Could Casemiro Be a Designated Player? 

Casemiro will be waving goodbye to Man Utd fans this summer. | Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images

Inter Miami currently have three designated players locked up through the 2027–28 season, with each of Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Germán Berterame taking up those spots. The latter two having been bought for a combined transfer fee of over $32 million.

At the same time, the club has signed three players under the U-22 Initiative, the maximum allowable if a team opts to have three senior designated players. To add Berterame, the Herons loaned a fourth U-22 Initiative player, Tomás Avilés to CF Montréal. 

Miami could switch to two designated players and gain a fourth U-22 Initiative player spot on the active roster, but would then only be able to add a younger star—not a veteran like 34-year-old Casemiro.

While Berterame’s individual salary is unknown—the MLS Players’ Association releases details in May—Messi earned $20 million in guaranteed compensation in 2025, and De Paul earned $1.5 million against the salary cap in 2025. However, the midfielder was a non-DP paid through Targeted Allocation Money, a mechanism used to buy down a player’s salary cap hit when his annual salary is below $1,803,125, but above $803,125, and he now earns more. 

Given the lofty salaries on the roster, Miami would only be able to add Casemiro at a salary higher than the Max-TAM contract if they were to split with one of the stars, a move that would leave a relatively undetermined hit on their overall salary cap as well. 

Complicated enough? Keep reading. 

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Inter Miami’s Lack of GAM

It is not simple for MLS clubs to add so many star players. | Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images

Inter Miami might have financial might, but they lack General Allocation Money, a tool used by MLS clubs to buy down a player’s salary against the cap, as long as the player does not earn more than $803,125 annually. 

For some clubs, including Miami, the tool allows high-priced players to fit on teams without DP classification or using TAM. However, the Herons only have $17,361, which is ineffective. 

For comparison, the Colorado Rapids have $6,380,121 to use in 2026, while Miami’s 2025 MLS Cup opponent, Vancouver Whitecaps sit with the second-least at $20,945.  

They could trade MLS SuperDraft picks or sell players to other MLS teams for GAM, but that may not be enough to add a new pricey player like Casemiro. 

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Could Casemiro Play For Less?

Casemiro (left) could opt to play for a lower salary to cross paths with Messi (right). | PETER POWELL/AFP/Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

Without a massive roster shift, the only way for Casemiro to play for Inter Miami would be at a salary below $803,125, potentially even lower. While MLS salary and salary cap info for 2026 have not been made public, it is likely that Miami is near the maximum of $6,425,000 per team, hampering their efforts to sign anyone, let alone another major star. 

Yet, with Luis Suárez having agreed to a cheaper contract to open up a DP role on the team, there is precedent of players signing for low wages to play in Miami and with Messi. Maybe that is the option Casemiro sees, after a series of significant contracts with Real Madrid and Man Utd.  

While Miami remain an unlikely destination at this point, there is no doubt keen interest from MLS clubs to bring in such a talent, who would continue a trend of players coming to the league in recent years since Messi’s arrival, including the Vancouver Whitecaps’ Thomas Müller, San Jose Earthquakes’ Timo Werner, LAFC’s Son Heung-min and Orlando City’s Antoine Griezmann.

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