Where we left off last year
2023 season: 34 points, 14th in the Eastern Conference
There will never be a year for any MLS team quite like the one Inter Miami had last year.
They had some low-lows, languishing in the basement of the Eastern Conference for a big chunk of the season, just hoping that the Lionel Messi slot machine would spin until it stopped on three herons. And then it did. Miami enjoyed some high-highs, signing the greatest player of all time and bringing Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba along with him. Overnight, Inter Miami became the biggest club in MLS.
They won the first expanded Leagues Cup trophy, made a run to the U.S. Open Cup final, and then, uh, missed the playoffs. I guess nobody’s perfect.
What changed in the offseason
Notable arrivals:
- Luis Suarez, ST: From the moment Messi joined Inter Miami, Suarez was always likely to follow. Even outside of the personal connection between the former Barcelona teammates, Suarez is coming off a year as a brutally effective goalscorer for Gremio in Brazil’s top-flight. He nabbed 17 goals to go along with another 11 assists in 2,800 minutes. Still, Suarez clearly has some mobility challenges and won’t be an every-game striker for Miami at 37.
- Julian Gressel, WB/CM: Along with Miles Robinson, Gressel was one of the top free agents in this year’s class. Adding the 30-year-old helps diversify the attack and will create space for the high-profile stars to cause problems in 2024. Manager Tata Martino will be thrilled to have Gressel back in one of his teams after coaching him with Atlanta United.
- Nicolas Freire, CB: After trading Kamal Miller to Portland (more on that in a moment), Inter Miami needed another center back. Freire, who’s made most of his money starting in Mexico, looks like a useful addition to the middle of the backline.
- *Federico Redondo, DM: A key part of Argentina’s youth national team setup at the U-20 World Cup and now with the U-23s ahead of the Olympics, Redondo was one of the top young midfielders of any age in the Argentine top-flight last season. Just 21, Redondo looks an awful lot like a Busquets clone with his frame, line-breaking passes, and defensive timing. This is an incredibly ambitious signing from Inter Miami.
* Deal is yet to be announced but is likely to happen.
