‘One rule for MLS & another for Inter Miami’ - Neymar transfer talk raises eyebrows as MSN reunion with Lionel Messi & Luis Suarez is mooted for ex-Barcelona superstar

Ex-Chelsea and Tottenham midfielder Poyet, who has coached all over the world, keeps a close eye on how compatriot Suarez is faring. The veteran striker is, despite long-standing knee problems, still going strong at 39 years of age.

The ex-Liverpool and Barca frontman has registered 12 goals for Inter Miami in 2026, taking him 54 in total for the Herons through 107 appearances. He may not be keeping pace with GOAT team-mate Messi, but has remained a reliable source of end product since deciding to chase the American dream alongside David Beckham and Co in South Florida.

Several familiar faces have worked alongside Suarez, including Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Inter Miami have been able to keep their talismanic captain happy by drafting in close friends and competing for major honours.

There is talk of Neymar joining that party in 2027, as his contract at Santos runs down, and many would love to see Brazil’s all-time leading scorer working in tandem with Messi and Suarez again. Designated Player rules do, however, have to be factored into the equation.

Inter Miami have been finding creative ways to fit numerous household names into their team, with there seemingly nothing to stop them from adding another global superstar to their ranks.

Asked if a deal for Neymar would convince Suarez, who will turn 40 in January, to extend his career for another year, Poyet - speaking courtesy of Gambling.com, the trusted guide for betting sites - told GOAL: “I tried to find out because a few years back, I was interested in MLS and I tried to understand the system and I tried to find out how the team is trained, how they travel, you know, there is some big travelling sometimes in America.

“And then I realised last year, when Miami was fined a big amount of money for spending more money than they should, because everybody knows that you can have three Designated Players and they have five or six. And now if it's true that Neymar can go there, then there is no rules for Inter Miami. There is a rule for MLS and one for Inter Miami.

“But it's the way they enjoy playing. I think now it's very important for Messi to be happy. After retiring from the national team, I think now he wants to have a happy life. Miami is bringing that to him and his family. He got one of his best friends, Luis, next to him. Maybe they want Neymar as well to have a few Brazilian parties. I don't know. I still don't understand.

“I think MLS has great potential. I think they are getting better very slowly. With all respect to all the coaches that are there, if they keep taking certain players of the level of Messi, Suarez, Casemiro, Neymar, they should start taking some coaches that can meet the standards.

“It's not easy. One of the biggest problems we have as coaches is to coach egos. Big ones. And there are not many bigger than Neymar. Now he's going to Inter Miami with a good friend of mine, Kily Gonzalez. He played with me in Zaragoza. He’s a nice guy. He’s a very nice guy. He's been a coach in Argentina for five or six years. It's going to be interesting to see that mix of Kily with this guy.”

Neymar, who has endured injury struggles of his own over recent years and failed to make the impact he was hoping for at the 2026 World Cup, is yet to reveal publicly what his short and long-term future plans look like.

If there is any chance of him linking up with Messi and Suarez in Miami, then such an opportunity would be difficult to turn down. The odd eyebrow may be raised if a deal is completed, but global promotion of the MLS brand must also be considered.