Inter Miami transfers Gregore, freeing $1M
Inter Miami continues to make roster changes in preparation for the 2024 MLS season, which kicks off Wednesday at 8 p.m. at home against Real Salt Lake.
The club announced Monday that it transferred midfielder Gregore to the Brazilian Serie A club Botafogo. The anticipated move frees up roughly $1 million in payroll, which
Inter Miami needed to be roster-compliant before the opening game. Gregore was scheduled to make $961,250 in guaranteed compensation last season.
Gregore is expected to be replaced on the Miami roster by Federico Redondo of the Argentina Under-23 national team. Inter Miami has been in talks with Redondo, 21, and his current club, Argentinos Juniors, for more than a month, and the parties are close to sealing a deal, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations.
Inter Miami will pay Argentinos Juniors a transfer fee in the $5 million range, with performance bonuses that could boost the price tag. Redondo is the son of former Real Madrid and AC Milan midfielder Fernando Redondo. Several top European clubs, including Bayern Munich, have shown interest in him. He is a lanky deep-lying defensive midfielder who has drawn comparisons to a young Sergio Busquets.
He would have to go through the visa process, so he probably would not be available for the first few games of the MLS season.
Because of his age, he could be slotted as one of Inter Miami’s three Under-22 Initiative players, replacing fellow Argentine Facundo Farias, who is expected to miss the 2024 season after sustaining a
torn ACL during the team’s first preseason game at El Salvador. Under the U22 designation, only $200,000 of Redondo’s salary would count against the team salary cap.
Inter Miami is also finalizing a loan deal for attacking midfielder Edison Azcona to the USL Las Vegas Lights with a purchase option. The 20-yearold Dominican player has appeared in 11 matches for Inter Miami’s first team and made $85,444.
There were reports that Miami might trade for Houston Dynamo defender Franco Escobar, an Argentine from Lionel Messi’s hometown of Rosario, but an MLS source says that is unlikely to happen at this point.
“We would like to thank Gregore for all of his contributions on and off the pitch and wish him the best in this next step in his career as he returns home to Brazil. His leadership and hard work were key for us during his time at the club,” said Inter Miami sporting director Chris Henderson. “We are positioning ourselves to be ready for what we’re sure will be an exciting 2024 season.”
With the arrival of highpriced players Messi, Busquets and Jordi Alba last summer and Luis Suarez during the winter, Inter Miami executives have had a busy offseason trying to make payroll space for the 2024 season. It was not always easy moving players, because some were insistent on staying with Miami for the experience of playing alongside Messi and his former FC Barcelona teammates.
Among the players gone from the 2023 roster: Kamal Miller (traded to Portland Timbers), Josef Martinez (contract option declined), Nico Stefanelli (transferred to Fehervar FC in Hungary), Christopher McVey (traded to D.C. United), Emerson Rodriguez (on loan to Colombian club Millonarios through June 2024), Victor Ulloa (contract expired, retired).
Gregore, 29, joined Inter Miami ahead of the 2021 season and made 65 appearances for the team in three seasons. He missed most of the 2023 season with a foot injury that required surgery. He had eight assists, but his biggest contributions could not be quantified by his statistics. The Brazilian was a natural leader who brought together players of all backgrounds and nationalities, which is why he was elected captain by his teammates before the arrival of Messi last summer.
Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said Monday that losing valuable players is part of the sport.
“We lose one of our captains, we lose experience, but the league roster rules are complicated, and sometimes we have to part ways with players we would rather not have lost,” Martino said. “We had to create salary space, and he is one of the players who had the greatest market value, not only in Brazil but also in MLS.”
Midfielder David Ruiz added: “Gregore is an awesome person, player, leader and we’re obviously going to miss him. He brought a lot of competitiveness into the field. Every time he wanted to win the duels, win everything. He helped everybody be better players.”
Michelle Kaufman: 305-376-3438, @kaufsports
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