Inter Miami reportedly close to joining Rodrigo De Paul with Lionel Messi, would add Atletico Madrid star midfielder on loan

It's been no secret that Inter Miami have wanted to add Atletico Madrid star Rodrigo De Paul to their squad. The question was how. That appears to be solved as the Herons are reportedly close to adding the Argentine star midfielder on a loan-to-buy move that would allow Miami to make another high-profile addition to South Beach.

According to GiveMeSport, Inter Miami and Atletico Madrid are working on a loan deal that will have a $17 million purchase clause along with add-ons. To navigate some of the key aspects of deal, Atleti have triggered De Paul's one-year option, meaning his contract will expire in 2027 as opposed to 2026.

De Paul won't be considered a Designated Player this season, allowing the club to keep its core intact while adding some steel to its midfield. Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba are Miami's current DPs and De Paul will be a TAM addition, similar to star striker Luis Suarez.

Inter Miami would finally get a major star addition after spending the majority of 2025 linked with several major names, from Neymar to Kevin De Bruyne. De Paul could be a better addition as he's still in his prime at 31 and is less injury-prone than Neymar.

He would add to an already strong position for the Herons, joining the likes of Benjamin Cremaschi and Busquets. The midfielder may have been influenced by a chance to play with close friend Messi, with whom he won the World Cup in 2022.

In addition to his success with Argentina, De Paul has plenty of accolades on the club level as well. The box-to-box star was named to the La Liga team of season last campaign and was also named club captain of Udinese, where he starred for five seasons.

As the Herons continue to finalize the deal, Messi and the team will play FC Cincinnati away Wednesday night.