Inter Miami under investigation for tampering after Casemiro signing
Major League Soccer (MLS) has initiated an investigation into Inter Miami following allegations of tampering related to the club’s signing of Brazilian midfielder Casemiro. The announcement of the 34-year-old’s transfer from Manchester United was swiftly followed by a statement from the MLS confirming the review.
Inter Miami announced on Wednesday that they had secured Casemiro on a contract extending until the conclusion of the 2027 MLS season, with an option for a further extension until June 2029. However, moments later, the league released a statement indicating it was “reviewing a tampering allegation” against the club. The MLS stated it is “gathering all relevant information and will refrain from further comment until the review is complete.”
Discovery Rights Under Scrutiny
The investigation primarily concerns Casemiro’s discovery rights, a specific MLS regulation that grants a club the first opportunity to sign a player if they wish to join the league. Clubs are permitted to have up to five players on their discovery list at any given time, with the flexibility to add or remove players as needed.
It was the LA Galaxy that held the discovery rights for Casemiro. Despite this, Inter Miami stated in their signing announcement that they had acquired these rights from the Galaxy. The LA Galaxy corroborated this, issuing a statement confirming a settlement had been reached with Inter Miami CF for the discovery priority to sign Casemiro. Both clubs indicated that the terms of this settlement would be disclosed once the tampering investigation by Major League Soccer is concluded.
This is not the first instance of Inter Miami facing scrutiny over their transfer activities. In 2021, the club incurred a $2 million fine for violating MLS rules during the signing of French midfielder Blaise Matuidi from Juventus the previous year. The MLS determined that Matuidi had received a salary exceeding the permitted limits, effectively giving the team four “designated players” in that season, surpassing the allowed three. The wages of designated players do not count towards the MLS salary cap, a rule often referred to as the ‘Beckham rule’, which was introduced when Sir David Beckham joined the LA Galaxy in 2007.
Casemiro’s Move to Miami
Casemiro had previously announced in January his intention to leave Old Trafford at the end of the 2026-27 season, a decision mutually agreed upon with Manchester United not to renew his contract. He spent four years at Manchester United, making 160 appearances, scoring 26 goals, and providing 14 assists. During his tenure, he secured one EFL Cup and one FA Cup. He also scored in the League Cup final victory in 2023 and reached two FA Cup finals, winning the competition in 2024. He was also part of the United side that reached the Europa League final in May 2025.
Before his move to United in 2022, Casemiro had a decorated career, winning five Champions League titles with Real Madrid. He also represented Brazil, reaching the last 16 at this summer’s World Cup. Upon joining Inter Miami, Casemiro expressed his motivation, stating, “What motivates me the most, and I think this is true for every player, is winning and continuing to grow. The project the club presented to me, along with the effort everyone made to bring me here, means a lot to me.”
Inter Miami co-owner Sir David Beckham welcomed Casemiro, remarking, “He is a winner who has achieved so much in the game and after such an incredible career with Real Madrid and Manchester United I’m delighted that he’s decided to make Miami his next home.” At Inter Miami, Casemiro is expected to reunite with former Real Madrid and Manchester United teammate Sergio Reguilon, as well as Argentina’s World Cup finalists Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul.
In the wake of Casemiro’s departure, Manchester United has focused on strengthening their midfield. The club has acquired Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £50m and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35m. Casemiro’s Old Trafford career saw a resurgence over his last 18 months at the club, fighting his way back into the side having initially been unfavoured by former head coach Ruben Amorim. In his final season, the Brazilian had his most productive campaign in front of goal, scoring nine times including five in 15 games under Amorim’s replacement Michael Carrick.
The MLS did not specify any potential penalties or a timeline for the conclusion of the investigation.
Source: bbc.com
