Casemiro joins Inter Miami, but MLS launches investigation into the transfer

Inter Miami have officially completed the signing of Casemiro, but the arrival of the former Manchester United midfielder has already landed the club in trouble.

The 34-year-old Brazil international has joined the MLS side as a free agent after his contract at Old Trafford expired, signing a deal until July 2027 with an option to extend it by a further two years.

However, instead of celebrating another blockbuster addition to Lionel Messi's star-studded squad, Inter Miami now find themselves under an official investigation by Major League Soccer over how the transfer was conducted.

At the heart of the controversy is MLS' Discovery Rights system, a unique mechanism designed to prevent clubs from bidding against one another for the same player.

Under league rules, clubs can reserve the exclusive right to negotiate with a player by placing him on their Discovery List. If another MLS team wants to sign that player, it must first acquire those rights before entering into negotiations.

Smile, honey, we're swapping Manchester for Miami

In Casemiro's case, those rights reportedly belonged to LA Galaxy. According to reports, Inter Miami allegedly bypassed the process by negotiating personal terms directly with the Brazilian before reaching an agreement with the Galaxy over the Discovery Rights.

Such conduct is known in American sports as tampering - making unauthorised contact with a player while another club holds the exclusive negotiating rights - and is treated as one of the most serious breaches of league regulations.

MLS has confirmed it is looking into the matter.

"MLS is currently reviewing allegations of impermissible tampering involving Inter Miami. The league is gathering all relevant information and will refrain from further comment until the investigation is complete."

Regardless of the outcome, Inter Miami are expected to compensate LA Galaxy for the Discovery Rights. Any additional sanctions, however, will depend on the league's findings.

The Brazilian arrives in Florida after an impressive final season at Manchester United, scoring nine goals in 33 appearances. Despite rediscovering his best form, the two parties did not agree on a contract extension, allowing him to leave on a free transfer.

After Ronaldo, it's time to play alongside Messi — Casemiro joins Inter Miami!

He also featured for Brazil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the Selecao were knocked out by Norway in the Round of 16.

Casemiro now joins a squad featuring Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul as Inter Miami continue to assemble one of the most decorated rosters in MLS history.