MLS
How much did Cincinnati pay to sign DeAndre Yedlin? Will Inter Miami buy a right-back to replace him?
In a shock move, the Inter Miami right-back has left the club and moved to FC Cincinnati, who won the 2023 Eastern Conference.
One of the biggest surprises at the start of Major League Soccer 2024 is set to be confirmed, as Inter Miami will trade DeAndre Yedlin to FC Cincinnati in a move that would leave them with a significant amount in General Allocation Money (GAM). The American right-back played as recently as the day before the emergence of this report, featuring in the Herons’ drubbing of Orlando City.
How much did Cincinnati pay to sign DeAndre Yedlin?
According to information from various sources, the ‘Orange and Blue’ franchise will pay a total of $172,000 in GAM and this transaction will allow Miami to free up $683,000 dollars in relation to the salary cap. As Tom Bogert pointed out in The Athletic, it would leave The Herons with a significant amount of money in order to bring in new faces.
The most striking thing about this move is that it takes place a day after the team beat their fierce rivals at Chase Stadium and Yedlin was a key piece for Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino’s project as one of the captains, as well as an important tactical role on the right side of the pitch.
Will Inter Miami sign a right-back?
The report from The Athletic mentions Inter Miami’s possible interest in signing Franco Escobar from Houston Dynamo, although the Texans are not interested in letting the 29-year-old Argentine right back go. Escobar, who played under Tata Martino for Atlanta United, has previously made clear the admiration he has for Lionel Messi and even has a tattoo of the Inter Miami captain, meaning the player could well be in favour of a move.
The Herons now have to think about the next steps to maintain a competitive squad in all sectors. One may imagine that either Julian Gressel or David Ruiz would fill in at right-back in the first leg of CONCACAF Champions Cup 2024 against Nashville SC, taking into account that Federico Redondo should be ready to form a double pivot with Busquets, allowing Diego Gomez to be released a little higher up the pitch.
Finally, the team who appear to have come out the best is FC Cincinnati, who like Inter Miami are ready to start their participation in the round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2024. The talented 30-year-old will join Pat Noonan’s project, which recently lost players such as Brandon Vázquez, Álvaro Barreal, Yerson Mosquera and, specifically, Santiago Arias, who will be replaced by Yedlin on the right side as they continue their march in US soccer.