Casemiro joins Inter Miami after Man Utd exit as MLS investigates transfer amid tampering claim

The 34-year-old Brazil international was unveiled by the club on Wednesday, but the announcement was immediately followed by confirmation from MLS that it is investigating allegations of tampering surrounding the transfer.

Inter Miami confirmed they had acquired Casemiro's discovery rights from the LA Galaxy before finalising the deal. However, the Galaxy have filed a tampering complaint, prompting the league to launch a review.

"The league is gathering all relevant information and will refrain from further comment until the review is complete," MLS said in a statement.

"While Inter Miami CF and the LA Galaxy have reached a settlement for the discovery priority to sign Casemiro, the terms will be released upon conclusion of the tampering investigation."

Discovery rights give MLS clubs first refusal over certain players they wish to sign, with teams permitted to hold up to five names on their discovery list at any one time.

Despite the investigation, Casemiro expressed his excitement about beginning the next chapter of his career after announcing in January that he would leave United when his contract expired on June 30.

"What motivates me the most, and I think this is true for every player, is winning and continuing to grow. The project the club presented to me, along with the effort everyone made to bring me here, means a lot to me," he said.

"I'm incredibly grateful, and I can't wait to get started so I can repay that trust, not only during the 90 minutes on matchday, but every day in training as well. All I can say is thank you, and I'll give everything I have to return the affection and confidence the club has shown me."

Casemiro will not occupy one of Inter Miami's designated player spots, with those currently held by Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and German Berterame. Miami had long been regarded as the midfielder's preferred destination, despite interest earlier this year from both the Galaxy and other MLS clubs.

Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham welcomed the signing, saying: "He is a winner who has achieved so much in the game and after such an incredible career with Real Madrid and Manchester United I'm delighted that he's decided to make Miami his next home."

Casemiro leaves Old Trafford after four seasons, having joined from Real Madrid in 2022. He made 160 appearances for United, scoring 26 goals and registering 14 assists while helping the club win the League Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024, as well as reaching the Europa League final in 2025.

His final campaign proved his most productive in front of goal, with nine goals, including five in 15 matches after Michael Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim as head coach. United opted against triggering a one-year extension in his contract, with the decision made well before the end of the season.

The midfielder also featured for Brazil at the 2026 World Cup, where they reached the last 16 before being eliminated by Norway.

United have since strengthened their midfield by signing Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans and remain in the market for further reinforcements.

The MLS investigation is not the first to involve Inter Miami. In 2021, the club was fined $2 million after being found to have breached league roster rules following the signing of Blaise Matuidi from Juventus, effectively exceeding the permitted number of designated players under the league's salary cap regulations.

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