Inter Miami are being linked to another ageing star, this time, former Argentinian international, Javier Mascherano. But while Mascherano is an intriguing name, the links are somewhat empty.
As the 2019 season has drawn to a close for every Major League Soccer bar two, the collective gaze of the league turns towards the offseason, planning for the looming 2020 season, and hoping to build a team capable of challenging next time out.
And this is the expanding period of MLS. Rapid expansion is being undertaken by the league, with new teams entering the league seemingly every year. 2020 is no different. Nashville is one host city, while Miami will be another.
Of the two, it is the latter, known as Inter Miami CF, that is the more intriguing. David Beckham is a part of the ownership group, there have been myriad links to some of the best players in world football, including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and there is seemingly a decent wad of cash available to invest heavily in the organisation and team.
However, thus far, the planning for the quickly arriving 2020 campaign has not run as smoothly as Inter Miami might have liked. No big-name players are yet to arrive in Florida, a head coach has not yet been announced either, despite reports suggesting they were close to appointing one in early October.
As such, the aftermath of what should have been exciting news for Inter Miami fans has been somewhat subdued, as if those reports are somewhat empty or even futile.
This week, it was claimed by various overseas reporters, including Argentinian journalist, Cesar Luis Merlo, that Inter Miami are pursuing former Argentina international Javier Mascherano, who is currently plying his trade in China.
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Mascherano should be an exciting, enthralling name, someone for a new fan base to be inspired by and ignite around. But given that Miami are yet to actually sign any of the players that they have been linked with, there is justified caution regarding these reports. Will Mascherano actually end up in Miami?
Perhaps more concerningly for Miami, however, even if he does end up with the team, it is hardly the smartest acquisition. Mascherano is presumably still capable enough of playing at the MLS level, although plying his trade in China can hardly help, but he is certainly not the same calibre of player as a Messi or Ronaldo — or even a Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Moreover, he is old. The new-age MLS is consistently proving that teams are better off investing in young talent, rather than spending designated player contracts on former European players who are on the cusp of retirement. There are exceptions to the rule, Zlatan being a crucial example, and Mascherano is set to bring an excellent character and leadership quality, perhaps similar to David Villa at New York City FC, but it might not be the smartest move to plough resources in such a player. And yet, that is precisely what Miami are considering.
The 2020 season will come quickly, both for those already in MLS and the newly expanded teams. And for Inter Miami, that is not a good thing, as these empty-feeling Mascherano reports indicate.