Inter Miami: Wil Trapp trade a game-changer

Wil Trapp’s arrival at Inter Miami came as a shock. But it makes sense for all parties involved and could be a game-changer for the playoff-chasing expansion side.

The most surprising trade of the 2020 Major League season has occurred. In a shock move, Wil Trapp has been sent to Inter Miami via the Columbus Crew. The Ohio native has spent his entire MLS career with the Crew and will be leaving a place where he was adored by supporters.

Trapp has been a cornerstone in the Crew’s midfield and has been one the best defensive midfielders in the league in recent years. Now, Miami adds a player who can help them immensely in their inaugural season. They should be ecstatic to pull off this acquisition.

Inter Miami have been slowly building their roster. They were slow to get going, stalling during the early stages of the offseason. But in January, upon the appointment of head coach Diego Alonso, the roster has begun to take shape.

Trapp joins a side which is now poised to make the playoffs in 2020. They are stocked full of talent, and now they have MLS experience and nous to boot. Trapp was heading into his final year under contract for the Crew which certainly added to the move made by the club and is a true veteran of the league.

In fact, the way Inter Miami Sporting Director Paul McDonough spoke about Trapp in the statement unveiling the signing, it was clear this experience and understanding was extremely attractive. McDonough said:

"“Wil is one of the most respected leaders in American soccer. He has served as captain at both the club and international levels and fits the culture we are building here in South Florida. Wil is also a top-class midfielder with established success in MLS.”"

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It had been reported that he was getting interest from European clubs over the course of his career. This storyline adds to the surprise of his trade to Miami as it appeared he would leave the Crew to a non-MLS team. Not so. This is not the end of Trapp’s European playing days necessarily — he will get the benefit of playing for the team owned by David Beckham, of course — but it does perhaps signify a shift to excelling in MLS first.

Having played his entire career with one club, the chance to move away and join a new side might have been enticing as well. The Crew did have not had the best of campaigns last season and chose to heavily bolster the central midfield as a consequence. Darlington Nagbe arrived in a blockbuster trade from Atlanta United, while Lucas Zelarayan will start as the central attacking midfielder. With Artur also in the squad, Trapp’s starting role was not secure.

This trade, then, has worked out well for all parties involved. Although it was a tough decision to let Trapp move on, the Crew will have raised potentially $300,000 in allocation money and still boast an excellent central midfield. Trapp, meanwhile, gets to embrace a new challenge, while Inter Miami gain a vital player to contend with the top clubs in MLS.