As Inter Miami prepares for the 2020 MLS regular season, the club is set to sign its second DP in team history, 25-year-old Rodolfo Pizarro. His signature indicates the club’s desire to win from day one.
After months of waiting and scouting, it appears that Inter Miami finally has the star Designated Player they’ve been searching for: 25-year-old midfielder Rodolfo Pizarro.
According to The Athletic’s Paul Tenorio, the expansion side has been finalizing a deal to bring the Tampico native to Miami. Touted as one of the most talented Mexican midfielders of his generation, Pizarro’s switch to Miami indicates the club’s intent to win starting day one.
Not only has he played under Diego Alonso, twice; he is also familiar with the Uruguayan’s tactical systems, which will massively aid the implementation of a new approach for a newly assembled squad.
Although Pizarro isn’t the ‘star name’ that most people were expecting, he will bring creativity, flair and ball progression in an Alonso midfield that’s tailormade for quick switches of play. The 25-year-old is especially adept at dribbling. He is technically excellent, cutting through defenses with sharp turns and close control. He also has a wide range of passing, is more than capable of short, sharp interplay and spraying more searching balls from deep.
His decision-making in the final third is excellent, and even if the end result didn’t end in a goal, more often than not, he creates openings, or scoring chances, or causes panic and confusion in the opposing defense.
Pizarro can also play in multiple positions. He can be deployed as a number 10, slot back into central midfield or play in behind a target man as a second striker. This will be needed when playing under a manager that is fluid in his formational changes like Alonso. From a 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1 and even a 4-3-3, Pizarro’s tactical flexibility will be a bonus to an Inter Miami side that will look to control the tempo.
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Perhaps most excitingly for Inter Miami, however, is that Pizzaro arrives as only the second Designed Player on the roster. There is still room for more investment. But who will General Manager Paul McDonough bring in next?
According to Miami Herald reporter Michelle Kaufman, the club is currently in discussions ‘for a high-profile Europe-based player’ that will be announced before the team kicks off their season against reigning Supporters’ Shield winners LAFC on March 1st.
Whoever that third DP may be, it is clear that Inter Miami has intentions to win and to win now, implementing a triumphant culture at the club almost immediately. The signing of Pizarro proves that the club’s pocketbook is deep and that they’re not afraid to spend when they need to.
The real tests, however, come when the team faces the trials and tribulations that come with the typical MLS season. Will they be able to hold up?