Minnesota United signs Inter Miami castoff Julian Gressel

Minnesota United moved to shore up the right side of its attack on Tuesday, signing right winger Julian Gressel after he was waived by Inter Miami.

Gressel won an MLS Cup with Atlanta in 2018 and again with Columbus in 2023, and started 38 games across all competitions last season for the record-setting Miami team that won last year’s Supporters’ Shield.

Gressel seemed to fall out of favor with new coach Javier Mascherano, though, and has yet to play for the Herons this season — making him perhaps the top transfer target in MLS during the primary transfer window, which ended last Wednesday.

Miami’s motivation for the move seems to be salary-related. The MLS Players’ Association has yet to release its biannual salary guide for 2025, but in 2024, Gressel made just over $1 million.

Minnesota doesn’t have concerns with salary-cap room, but Miami does — especially if the Herons are hoping to bring in Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne this summer, something that’s been heavily rumored as a possibility.

The MLS waiver process is slightly different than other sports, in that it includes a component of how much salary the claiming team is willing to pay. To quote the rules: “The player will be awarded based on a number of factors, including but not limited to, waiver order and which club is willing to absorb a salary budget charge that is meaningfully higher than other clubs.”

It all added up to a big-time bargain for Minnesota. The Loons are now getting a hugely experienced MLS player, one who fills a genuine need for them — and without giving up anything for him at all, besides paying some of his salary.

“He’s been a serial winner, and that’s something that we want to add to what we’ve got,” said manager Eric Ramsay. “If you would script the type of player that we need at the moment, to give us some depth and competition on the right-hand side and in midfield … he certainly provides that.”