Coach’s son signs with USL team
Harvey Neville originally expected to simply visit his dad when he first came to South Florida — but now he’ll be staying in the area permanently.
Harvey, Inter Miami CF coach Phil Neville’s 18-year-old son, has signed with Inter Miami’s USL League One team, Fort Lauderdale CF.
The younger Neville, who was previously with Manchester United’s under-23 team, has been practicing with Inter Miami’s MLS team since before the season started in mid-April and was seen practicing with the team during Thursday’s training session that was open to the media.
He started as a center midfielder for the “La Palma” reserve team in Inter Miami’s final intrasquad scrimmage before the season started, with Phil Neville saying at the time, “[Manchester United] gave him permission to come out here for 10 days to see his dad, train with us and keep his fitness up. I love having him here, but unfortunately, he’s a Manchester United player.”
And now Harvey, who’s a fullback and midfielder, will be a Fort Lauderdale CF player.
“It was his decision, just like every decision he’s made has been his decision,” Phil said of his son joining Fort Lauderdale CF. “He’s had to take some brave moves in his career. He came out to do some training and see his dad, really enjoyed it and impressed everybody.
“It is quite difficult because obviously when he’s with the club, he’s just another player so I’ve left a lot of the decision-making on Harvey up to the people in and around the club. [Sporting director and chief soccer officer] Chris [Henderson] and [assistant coach] Anthony Pulis took a real interest in him. I’m harder on Harvey than any other player on the squad. Ultimately, he signed for the USL team. It’s a great opportunity for him.”
Harvey will join Fort Lauderdale CF pending receipt of his international transfer certificate and visa. He’s the fourth English player to join one of the club’s teams since last season ended.
Mitchell Curry, a former Sunderland under-23 forward/winger, also signed with Fort Lauderdale CF during the offseason.
Ryan Shawcross signed with Inter Miami in February while Kieran Gibbs signed with the team in March and will join Inter Miami over the summer once his contract with West Bromwich Albion expires.
“The proud bit for me as a father is that it is hard to leave Manchester United,” Phil said. “Normally when people leave Manchester United, there’s a death-like feeling of your dreams can’t come true. He’s probably known for three, four, five months for him to succeed he may have to leave because not everybody makes it at Manchester United. He’s got a lot of hard work, development and days on the road with the USL team to keep improving.”
Callender and Penn loaned
Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender and forward/winger Josh Penn were loaned to Fort Lauderdale CF for their match versus Union Omaha on Friday at DRV PNK Stadium.
Callender, 23, has yet to appear in a match for Inter Miami across his two seasons with the team after the club acquired him in November 2019 in a trade with the San Jose Earthquakes.
Inter Miami selected Penn, 20, with the No. 10 pick in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft. Penn’s played in two of Inter Miami’s three matches so far this season, most recently subbing into the team’s scoreless draw against Nashville SC last Sunday.