David Beckham and Inter Miami have been spending their time in Europe trying to secure a major superstar. With or without the big name, grand aspirations await for the MLS expansion side.
When the news came out years ago that former LA Galaxy star David Beckham would own an MLS expansion side, one would figure some grandeur.
Beckham’s franchise, which is now dubbed as Inter Miami and starts MLS action in the 2020 season, has been full steam ahead. From stadium development down in Miami to a talent search taking place over in Europe, Inter Miami are raring to go, Beckham at the helm.
According to reports, Beckham, his partner Jorge Mas, and Sporting Director Paul McDonough were all together in Barcelona, Spain. Miami has been connected to both Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, with Beckham trying to land a superstar to kick off his MLS franchise and catapult it into a top side.
Inter Miami has the finances to make a deal for a player like Messi plausible, and there is a clause in his contract that allows him to walk away from FC Barcelona if chooses to do so.
In addition to trying to lure top talent, Inter Miami have been hitting up the best venues in Europe with the goal of bringing that atmosphere and amenities to their own stadium in Miami. Inter Miami’s stadium, Miami Freedom Park, is a soccer-specific venue located in Miami, Florida with a projected open date of 2022.
Until the stadium is completed, they plan on playing in Fort Lauderdale at Lockhart Stadium where their first team, youth academy, and a potential USL franchise also will play.
Miami has started to build a roster with three players already on their books, in midfielder Matias Pellegrini, forward Julian Carranza, and center-back Christian Makoun. Moreover, this offseason, Inter Miami will be able to select up to five players in the MLS Expansion Draft to further bolster their roster.
Miami will likely add an ageing superstar from overseas into the fold as well, but with Beckham and his Rolodex, anything is really possible for this club. Think LAFC or Atlanta United. Expansion teams can not be great from the get-go, and Inter Miami are hoping the same immediate injection of success.
So the point is this: expect to see Inter Miami challenge from day one, whether they have Lionel Messi in the fold or not because David Beckham is not meesing about.