Former Arsenal, Premier League defender Gibbs signed

Inter Miami CF will add a Premier League defender to its roster in the summer after it signed former Arsenal left back Kieran Gibbs on Tuesday.

Gibbs, who signed with the club through the 2023 season, will be eligible to play for Inter Miami starting July 1, after his contract with West Bromwich Albion expires.

He’ll occupy an international roster slot, pending receipt of his international transfer certificate and visa. Inter Miami also signed former Seattle Sounders right back Kelvin Leerdam on Tuesday.

“Extremely excited to be starting the next chapter of my career with [Inter Miami] this Summer! I look forward to embracing a new culture and a new challenge in South Florida,” Gibbs wrote on Twitter. “I’m really impressed by the vision of the club, and can’t wait to play in front of [official Inter Miami official supporter groups]

The Siege, Southern Legion, and Vice City 1896.

“In the meantime, my focus and commitment remains with West Brom. I will continue to give 100% for the team, as I have done since I signed, until the end of the season.”

Inter Miami has been linked with Gibbs since January, with Chris Henderson — Inter Miami chief soccer officer and sporting director — telling reporters last month that the club had been in talks with the 31-year-old left back.

Gibbs spent a decade (2007-17) with Arsenal, making over 300 appearances with the club after coming up through its youth ranks.

Arsenal won the FA Cup three times (2014, ’15, ’17) during Gibbs’ tenure with the club.

He has made 100 appearances for West Brom since joining the club in 2017. Gibbs made 10 appearances for the England men’s national soccer team from 2010-15.

Once he joins Inter Miami over the summer, Gibbs will likely become the team’s starting left back. Joevin Jones, whom Inter Miami recently signed and who will presumably start at left back when the season begins, will likely move into a reserve role or play as a winger when Gibbs arrives.

“Kieran is an exciting player,” Henderson said in a statement. “His technique, experience and work rate will be valuable on the left flank.

“He has had a standout career at the highest levels so far, and we believe he can continue bringing this same level of quality to Inter Miami and MLS this summer.”

Inter Miami will have filled 29 of its 30 roster spots once Gibbs joins the team. Since Gibbs isn’t a domestic player (U.S. citizen, green-card holder, etc.), the team will need to free up one of its international roster slots or acquire one from another MLS club to comply with the league’s roster rules.

Clubs are given eight international roster slots in their expansion seasons for players who require an international transfer certificate and/or visa. Teams can free up international roster spots when one of their players receives a green card and becomes a domestic player — as Julián Carranza and Matías Pellegrini did last year — or by trading for one. There isn’t a limit on the number of international roster slots a club can have.

Seven players who are currently occupying an international roster sot on Inter Miami’s roster: Nico Figal, Gregore, Gonzalo Higuaín, Blaise Matuidi, Lewis Morgan, Rodolfo Pizarro and Ryan Shawcross.

Inter Miami included an international roster slot in its trade for Wil Trapp last January, with Trapp now playing for Minnesota United.