'They're screwed' - Inter Miami & Lionel Messi fired warning over roster compliance ahead of 2024 MLS season deadline as club must sell players quickly

According to The Athletic, the Herons urgently need to secure more allocation money and/or reduce salary expenditures to ensure compliance with MLS roster regulations. Key players such as Gregore, Jean Mota, DeAndre Yedlin, Robert Taylor, and Sergii Kryvstov are reportedly available for transfer or trade, as Inter Miami aims to make the necessary outgoing moves to meet MLS roster requirements. Additionally, it is expected that the club will part ways with Coco Jean, potentially through a transfer, trade, or contract termination.

While MLS has not yet announced specific roster rules and regulations for the 2024 season, it is known that in 2023, the salary budget for the senior roster was a base of $5.21 million (£4m). Designated players (DPs) impact the salary cap differently, with a fixed maximum budget charge. Allocation money, including General Allocation Money (GAM) and Targeted Allocation Money (TAM), plays a crucial role in managing player contracts and salary expenditures.

The exact amount of allocation money required by Inter Miami remains undisclosed, and it is uncertain how much the club has left from previous years or borrowed from the future.

A senior-ranked official told The Athletic: "They are screwed. Trust me.”

Inter Miami have made notable signings in the offseason, including legendary striker Luis Suarez, Julian Gressel, Nicolas Freire on loan from Pumas, and highly-rated Argentine youth international midfielder Federico Redondo. However, the club also made moves to generate allocation money, such as trading Kamal Miller to Portland and Chris McVey to D.C. United, and transferring Nicolas Stefanelli abroad.

Inter Miami may explore transferring players abroad, such as Gregore or Mota to the Brazilian league, who could potentially fetch significant fees to be converted into allocation money. As the season opener approaches against Real Salt Lake on February 21, Inter Miami's management faces a race against time to navigate the complexities of MLS roster regulations and ensure the team's compliance for a successful campaign. Needless to say, the club's strategic decisions in the coming days will have significant implications for the new season.