Inter Miami under investigation after signing Casemiro

Major League Soccer has launched an investigation into Inter Miami over alleged tampering after the club signed Brazilian midfielder Casemiro. On Wednesday, Miami announced they had signed the 34-year-old, who left Manchester United at the end of last season, on a deal running through the 2027 MLS campaign with an option to extend until June 2029.

Shortly after, MLS released a statement saying it was "reviewing a tampering allegation" against the club. "The league is gathering all relevant information and will refrain from further comment until the review is complete," it added.

The investigation concerns Casemiro's discovery rights, an MLS regulation that gives a specific club first refusal over a player. Los Angeles Galaxy held the discovery rights for Casemiro, but Inter Miami said they had acquired the rights from the Galaxy.

Casemiro announced in January he would leave Old Trafford at the end of the 2026-27 season following a mutual decision not to renew his contract. He won five Champions League titles with Real Madrid before moving to United in 2022. Casemiro made 160 appearances for United, scoring 26 goals and providing 14 assists, winning one EFL Cup and one FA Cup.

Before the investigation announcement, Inter Miami co-owner Sir David Beckham said of Casemiro: "He is a winner who has achieved so much in the game." At Miami, Casemiro will join former Real and United teammate Sergio Reguilon, as well as Argentina's World Cup finalists Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul.

This is not the first time Inter Miami have been probed over transfer dealings. In 2021, they were fined $2 million for breaking MLS rules with the signing of France midfielder Blaise Matuidi. The MLS said Matuidi had been paid more than allowed, effectively giving the team four "designated players" rather than the permitted three. The designated player rule, known as the 'Beckham rule', was introduced when the former England captain joined Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007.