MLS investigating Inter Miami over 2020 Blaise Matuidi transfer

Inter Miami are under formal investigation by Major League Soccer over their signing of ex-Juventus star and 2018 World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi as a result of suspicions the transfer may have broken MLS rules on salary budget and roster guidelines.

Matuidi completed his move to Florida in August at the end of his contract with Juve and played 15 times for Inter in the remainder of the 2020 MLS season.

But now the transfer is under review by the league.

A statement read: “Major League Soccer has begun a formal review of Inter Miami CF’s signing of midfielder Blaise Matuidi, specifically investigating whether the signing of the player complied with Major League Soccer’s salary budget and roster guidelines.

“MLS will not make further comment until the completion of its investigation.”

Inter ultimately disappointed in their debut MLS season, averaging just over one point per game and finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference. That was enough to get into the preliminary round of a temporarily expanded post-season to make up for the truncated regular season, but they were knocked out immediately and there will only be seven playoff places in 2021.

The upcoming season, which has seen the appointment of Phil Neville as head coach and the recruitment of former Premier League defender Ryan Shawcross, will be focused on improvement.

Inter lost all of their opening five games of 2020, although things did get better in the second half of the campaign following the arrivals of Matuidi and former Juve teammate Gonzalo Higuain.

Last October, Inter also brought in established MLS veteran Federico Higuain, the older brother of Gonzalo, from D.C. United. The 36-year-old has been one of the best goalscoring midfielders in MLS since his arrival from Argentina in 2012 and played nearly 200 games for Columbus Crew.

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