Inter Miami is reportedly in the final stages of negotiations to sign Brazil midfielder Casemiro this summer, sources told ESPN.
Casemiro, who is 34, announced in January that he will leave Manchester United following the expiration of his contract with the Premier League club on June 30.
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He is expected to join Inter Miami as a free agent during Major League Soccer’s secondary transfer window, which runs from July 13 to September 2.
The Athletic was the first to report on Inter Miami’s advanced talks with Casemiro.
Initially, Inter Miami showed interest in acquiring Casemiro, competing with MLS rivals LA Galaxy and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad.
ESPN’s sources reported that Miami, along with the Galaxy, reached out to Casemiro in March before any formal offers were put forth.
However, it appears that Inter Miami is Casemiro’s preferred destination, as confirmed by ESPN’s Felipe Silva.
Currently, Inter Miami does not have an available Designated Player spot, as Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, and Germán Berterame currently occupy those positions.
Before signing him under a non-DP contract, Inter Miami will need to resolve the issue of Casemiro’s discovery rights with the LA Galaxy.
According to MLS rules, clubs may assign up to five players to their discovery list at any time. By doing so, the team gains priority in negotiations for that player.
The Galaxy reportedly hold Casemiro’s discovery rights, which prevents Miami from signing him without negotiating with LA first.
Casemiro has been included in Brazil’s squad for this summer’s World Cup taking place in North America.