MLS: Sergio Ramos move doesn’t make sense

Sergio Ramos is the latest high-profile star to be linked to Inter Miami and MLS. But given the age at which he plans to make the switch, the move makes very little sense.

Even though Major League Soccer is still working out the kinks before the MLS is Back tournament, that doesn’t mean there isn’t any news. This, as always, is especially true regarding the relentless whirring of the transfer rumor mill. And the latest is one of the more outlandish you will hear this summer.

Per AS.com, Real Madrid center-back Sergio Ramos is interested in a move to expansion side, Inter Miami when his contract expires in 2022.

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On the face of it, this sounds like a terrific move for Miami and MLS more generally. Who wouldn’t want one of the world’s best defenders on the most recognizable team in the world to come to the U.S.? It almost seems too good to be true.

And there is a very good reason for this. That’s because it is. And Miami’s recent transfer history, or the lack thereof, helps prove the point.

Ever since Inter Miami was founded, they have attracted high-profile names. That is bound to happen when David Beckham is your owner. Beckham has pondered the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo one day playing in the United States. Who wouldn’t want to play for Beckham?

But the issue is getting these players over at the right time. Even though most people wouldn’t mind seeing a 40-year-old Messi in MLS, that doesn’t mean the league is best-served by featuring the world’s best players when they are well past their prime. The ‘retirement league’ moniker has not come from out of nowhere and the league has subsequently worked hard to rid it.

That is what makes the recent news about Antoine Griezmann so exciting. The Frenchman, who is a World Cup winner and one of the premier players in world football, could come to MLS in his early-to-mid 30s. He would still have gas left in the tank.

Ramos doesn’t want to come over until after the 2022 World Cup There is good reason for this. It would be almost impossible for him to make the Spain squad for the competition if he did. That would mean he would be 37 years old. That does the league very few favors. Even though it might make the league a little bit more popular with a short-term bump as fans come to see Ramos play, in the long run, it would do more harm than good.

There is no doubt that Ramos’ style of play would translate to MLS. He is known for being a physical defender who isn’t afraid to play in an aggressive manner. He sometimes goes too far, but his front-footed style would translate well to MLS. Ramos is also a threat from set-pieces and isn’t afraid to race up the field to join the attack. If he is scoring goals in La Liga, imagine what he could do in MLS?

But MLS doesn’t need an ancient Sergio Ramos. They need stars who are willing to come to the United States before their better days are behind them. And if Ramos is unwilling to move before then, the league should be happy to look past him.