How Angel Di María could join Messi at Inter Miami (and why he might not)

Ángel Di María will be a free agent this summer. The 36-year-old winger – whose trophy cabinet includes a Champions League winner’s medal with Real Madrid, multiple titles with Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica plus a World Cup title with Argentina – has reportedly ruled out a return to boyhood club Rosario Central due to concerns over his family’s safety.

On Tuesday, TyC Argentina journalist Gastón Edul reported that Di María would not sign with Rosario Central, a report that came weeks after Di María was the victim of a death threat by a local gang. A package with a note was left outside the gated community where Di María has a home in Rosario, reading, “Tell your son Ángel not to come back to Rosario because we will kill a family member.”

Days prior, Di María had told ESPN Argentina that it would be “a dream” to return to Rosario Central, but that Rosario’s criminality would be a determining factor.

“My parents and my sisters are (in Rosario),” said Di María. “What’s happening there really affects me, but my desire to return will always remain.”

Rosario is a football hotbed in Argentina. It’s home to Newell’s Old Boys and rival Rosario Central. That rivalry divides the city, one that is famous for being the birthplace of Messi and Marcelo Bielsa. Rosario is also one of South America’s most violent cities. Drug trafficking gangs and related violence have contributed to a rising homicide rate that has overshadowed Rosario’s place in Argentine football lore.

That reality hit close to home for Messi in March of 2023, when two armed men fired automatic weapons at 3 a.m. into an empty Supermercado Único, which is owned and operated by the family of Antonela Rocuzzo, Messi’s wife. The shooters left a note that read: “Messi, we’re waiting for you. Javkin is also a drug trafficker, he won’t protect you.” Pablo Javkin, Rosario’s mayor, condemned the attack.

On Thursday, multiple Argentinian outlets reported that Inter Miami had contacted Di María’s camp to gauge his interest in joining Messi in South Florida. It seems, in theory, to be a natural landing spot, allowing him to join the cast of “Messi and Friends” – Lionel Messi (with whom Di María is close), Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez.

But would that move make sense for Inter Miami, and if so, could the club even sign Di María?

In theory, it’s possible. New rule changes to be implemented this summer, first reported by The Athletic’s Paul Tenorio, mean MLS clubs will be permitted to have three senior designated players and three under-22 initiative players.

Di María could become the club’s third DP, along with Messi and Busquets, and Inter Miami could still keep its three under-22 initiative players. Before the rule changes, this would not be possible.

Logistically, though, it would be tough. Striker Leo Campana is Miami’s third DP at the moment. Senior DPs hit the salary cap at the senior maximum budget charge, which is $683,750 this year. Currently, that’s what Campana costs. If he’s no longer a DP, the club would need to buy down his budget charge (a combination of salary and transfer fee), which could require up to $1million in allocation money.

Doing that may not make the most sense from a roster strategy perspective. Instead of having three senior DPs and three U-22 initiative players, clubs can instead opt to hold two senior DPs, four under-22 initiative players and, crucially for Miami, $2million in allocation money.

Miami has already had to move on from several players this winter to generate allocation money and free up cap space before roster compliance day. This is a dance they’ll likely have to do every year to buy down several contracts and acquire additional international slots. Getting $2million in allocation money every year would go a long way to accomplishing that that.

Also, under-22 initiative players hit the salary cap at just $200,000 (or less, if the player is a teenager). Miami’s under-22 signings Diego Gómez, Federico Redondo and Tomás Avilés combined count slightly less than just Campana alone. It’s a way to increase squad depth for value against the salary cap, another need for a team with so many veteran players as well as active internationals.

From a player profile point of view, it’s clear that any club in MLS would benefit from the skill and experience of Di María. At 36, he’s still playing at a high level in Europe, having scored eight goals with 10 assists in 26 matches for Portuguese giants Benfica. His football IQ remains impressive, and his neatly taken goal in the 2022 World Cup final against France is still fresh in our minds.

However, Di María wouldn’t bring Inter Miami one of the things it needs most: youth. The team is already relying heavily on the aging legs of Messi, Suárez, Busquets and Alba, though it has been going well this season.

Messi leads MLS’ charts with nine goals and seven assists, though he has missed games due to a hamstring issue. Suárez has added another seven goals and four assists in limited playing time; the Uruguayan’s persistent knee problems have hampered his mobility, but his finishing abilities are intact. Busquets’ tally of 839 touches after nine regular-season matches is third in all of MLS, and his passing sets the tempo for a high-octane Miami attack — yet, as clean as Busquets is on the ball, he has been overrun at times by more athletic midfielders.

At this point, finding players who can reliably be fit and available is key. Inter Miami lost Facundo Farías, a versatile attacker, to a season-ending knee injury in January. In late March, Redondo suffered a left lateral collateral ligament injury that will keep him off the pitch for eight weeks. And Gómez, who had provided much-needed dynamism in midfield, is out for six weeks with a high ankle sprain.

Those injuries, and an overall lack of team speed, have forced head coach Tata Martino to change tactical systems throughout the year. Miami began the year in a 5-3-2 formation, as Martino looked to give Miami as much defensive solidity as possible. Inter Miami is back to Martino’s preferred 4-3-3 setup that changes to a 4-4-2, with Messi and Suárez leading the attack.

At present, Finland international Robert Taylor, Inter Miami’s all-time assists leader (with 15), is Inter Miami’s left-winger. On paper, that’s where Di María would fit within Miami’s starting XI, but that’s not where he typically plays these days. The left-footed Di María is now more of an inside forward/inverted winger who is most effective on the right wing.

One of the biggest tactical gambles during the 2022 World Cup final was Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni’s decision to move Di María to the left side.

“When he gave the starting lineup during the pre-match team talk, I didn’t understand (Scaloni’s) decision. I thought he had gotten it mixed up,” Di María later said.

Di María is not without experience on the left in club football. He played regularly there during his four seasons with Real Madrid, including during the 2013-14 season in which he led La Liga’s assists chart with 17. At the time, he was easily one of the best left-wingers in the world — but that was a decade ago.

Inter Miami’s early interest in Di María is also no coincidence. Di María was a regular starter for Argentina during Martino’s two years as head coach of the national team, from 2014 to 2016. With Messi locked into the right-forward position, Martino played Di María on the left side. Put simply, no one is moving Messi from the right side, neither for club or country, not even his good friend from Rosario.

It should be mentioned that Inter Miami recently signed Matías Rojas from Corinthians. Rojas, 28, is a left-footed creative midfielder who also prefers the right flank, so he can cut inside onto his left. Rojas debuted last weekend as a substitute and slotted into Inter Miami’s left-wing position. The Paraguayan can also play centrally.

His club future may be in doubt, but reports in Argentina and Portugal suggest that Benfica will trigger Di María’s contract option in June and sign the club legend for one more season. However, Messi and Di María have always shared an uncanny connection on the pitch and a close friendship off it. Surely Di María must be following Messi’s superstar life in Miami as he ponders the final chapter of his club football career.

Tom Bogert contributed to this story

(Top photo: Henrique Casinhas/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)