Atletico de Madrid v Botafogo FR: Group B - FIFA Club World Cup 2025
Lalas voiced strong support for the Atletico star’s potential move to Inter Miami, suggesting his style would translate to MLS
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WHAT HAPPENED
Alexi Lalas addressed Rodrigo De Paul's speculated transfer to Inter Miami, with the former USMNT star saying the Argentine midfielder's technical style is ideally suited for success in Major League Soccer.
“So first off, the, the quality of the player I think matters,” Lalas said on his State of the Union podcast. “He is in his prime and the style in which he plays, I think will translate immediately to what Major League Soccer is. And I'm talking about, you know - I'm not saying he's crude or anything - but there is a ruggedness and a rawness to his game.
“That is what makes him one of the greats in in the world. First off, I think it's going to translate. Secondly, I think it's what Inter Miami needs. Now when it comes to Inter Miami creating this super club… other teams have wanted to do that, but recognizing that you're limited because of the rules and regulations."
WHAT LALAS SAID
Lalas emphasised that while such a high-profile transfer would require significant financial investment, Miami's ambition represented exactly the type of market-building activity MLS should encourage.
“Now there is flexibility and there is a greater good that comes from it. But I love that Inter Miami and Jorge Mas and David Beckham and those, they want to push the envelope," Lalas said. "They want to do big things and they should be given the ability to do that, Yes, within the rules. But what I don't want to happen is that they are hampered or held back by their aspirations. And this gets into a bigger conversation of what of what MLS is."
Lalas said MLS needs to continue to tweak player acquisition rules to allow clubs to take bigger swings.
"People are yelling and saying, 'Oh, Inter Miami's getting favorable treatment.' Yeah, OK," he said. "If somebody wants to do something big that's going to benefit the team, and its going to benefit of the league, they are going to be given some leeway. And there's nothing stopping you, whatever team it is - Columbus or Colorado or anybody else out there - from thinking big and doing big.
”Yes, there is an attraction to Messi. Yes, there is an attraction to some place like Miami that maybe other other teams don't have. But if you want to spend big money and you want to do big, bold - dare I say it? - arrogant things, I will support you, 100 percent."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
De Paul signed for Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2021 and has since made 187 appearances for the La Liga side, winning the World Cup in 2022 with Argentina.
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WHAT’S NEXT?
It's been no secret that Inter Miami have wanted to add De Paul. The question was how. That appears to be solved as the Herons are reportedly close to adding the Argentine star midfielder on a loan-to-buy move.
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