Lionel Messi has certainly adapted to Inter Miami very well since his arrival last summer. The Argentine has managed to become a true leader there, and both the fans and even his teammates love him. He has even led them to a Leagues Cup trophy, the club’s first ever.
And it would not have been possible if not for DeAndre Yedlin, one of the few stars of the team before the Messi era. He was one of their best players and the previous captain helped Messi transition into the role. And now we will no longer see him share the pitch with Messi.
Inter Miami part ways with Lionel Messi’s second in command
DeAndre Yedlin is set to leave the club in a very surprising move. He was the previous star player at Inter Miami and their captain as well. He willingly gave up the armband to Lionel Messi when he arrived and helped him settle into the team. He was the de facto vice captain of the team, being the only link between the previous and new squad structures.
The defender also shared many moments of glory with the Argentine, both sharing the responsibility of lifting the Leagues Cup trophy together. However, he will now move to another MLS club, FC Cincinnati, with a reported trade fee of $172,799. It comes as a shock, considering his importance to the team.
Thank you, DeAndre đź’—đź–¤
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) March 4, 2024
The club has traded defender DeAndre Yedlin to FC Cincinnati, gaining important roster flexibility, in addition to acquiring $172,799 in 2024 General Allocation Money (GAM).
Details: https://t.co/XCCtvjPRNJ pic.twitter.com/Ig6upRydQ0
According to a director at the club, the move was made to free up some space in the team roster. It would also enable them to sign another player, which will further help them in their mission to grow as a team.
Yedlin, a US international, first joined the team in 2022 as one of their big signings. Being 30 years old, he played in Europe for a long time with clubs like Tottenham, Newcastle and Galatasaray.
Lionel Messi’s workload worries coach Tata Martino
And now Lionel Messi would have to take over more responsibilities for the team, adding more to his workload. Manager Tata Martino recently spoke about the issue, saying that Messi needs to maintain his energy levels properly in order to retain his best playing performance.
He acknowledged that the team in the first two games required Messi to drop deep a lot. This led to him using up much of his energy and stamina. “Messi was very exhausted during the first two matches because he was receiving a lot of balls in low areas (own half) and making plays.”
Tata Martino 🗣: "Messi was very exhausted during the first two matches because he was receiving a lot of balls in low areas (own half) and making plays. So we must do something that the players can find him and he become the player who ends the attacks while sometimes making for… pic.twitter.com/srSWjNhmYA
— Messi FC 🇮🇳 (@MessiFCIndia) March 2, 2024
He then confirmed that he would try to build the team so that Messi doesn’t have to drop deep and spend more energy. “So we must do something that the players can find him and he become the player who ends the attacks while sometimes making for other. This is my responsibility, to make it happen.” In the next game against Orlando City, that tactic worked a treat, with Messi scoring two goals and accidentally hurting a young fan as well.
Inter Miami and Lionel Messi will now focus on their next game against Nashville in the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Friday.
