Inter Miami investigated 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 34-year-old, who departed Manchester United at the conclusion of last season, was announced as a new signing by Inter Miami on Wednesday. His contract is set to run until the end of the 2027 MLS campaign, with an option for an extension until June 2029.
Shortly after Inter Miami‘s announcement, the MLS released a statement confirming it was “reviewing a tampering allegation” against the club. The league 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, an MLS regulation that grants a specific club the first opportunity to sign a player. Clubs are permitted to have up to five players on their discovery list at any given time, with the ability to add or remove players as needed. Los Angeles Galaxy had previously held the discovery rights for Casemiro.
Despite this, Inter Miami announced that they had acquired these rights from the Galaxy as part of the deal. Both Inter Miami CF and the LA Galaxy have reached a settlement regarding the discovery priority for Casemiro. However, the terms of this settlement are pending release until the conclusion of the ongoing tampering investigation.
The LA Galaxy confirmed this in a statement, noting that the terms of their settlement with Inter Miami CF would be disclosed once the MLS tampering investigation is complete. The league has not yet specified any potential penalties or a timeline for the investigation’s conclusion.
Casemiro’s Move to Miami
Casemiro‘s departure from Old Trafford was confirmed at the end of the 2026-27 season, a mutual decision 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 was part of the United side that reached the Europa League final in May 2025.
Prior to his time at United, Casemiro won five Champions League titles with Real Madrid. He also represented Brazil in the recent World Cup, where the team reached the last 16. Upon signing with 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.”
He added that the project presented by the club and the effort made to bring him to Miami were significant to him. Inter Miami co-owner Sir David Beckham welcomed Casemiro, highlighting his winning pedigree and successful career with Real Madrid and Manchester United. At Inter Miami, Casemiro is set to join former Real Madrid and Manchester United teammate Sergio Reguilon, as well as Argentina‘s World Cup finalists Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul.
Previous Investigations and Club Reinforcements
This is not the first instance of Inter Miami facing scrutiny over transfer dealings. In 2021, the club was fined $2 million for violating MLS rules during the signing of French midfielder Blaise Matuidi from Juventus in the preceding year. The MLS determined that Matuidi had been paid more than permitted, effectively giving the team four “designated players” rather than the allowed three. The “Beckham rule,” introduced when David Beckham joined Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007, allows designated players’ wages to be exempt from the MLS salary cap.
In the wake of Casemiro‘s departure, Manchester United has focused on strengthening its midfield. The club acquired Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. United is reportedly still seeking a third midfielder to bolster their squad.
Casemiro‘s career at Old Trafford saw a resurgence in his final 18 months, as he regained his place in the team after initially being out of favour with former head coach Ruben Amorim. In his last season, he achieved his most productive campaign in terms of goals, scoring nine times, including five in 15 games under Amorim‘s replacement, Michael Carrick.
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Source: bbc.com
