Although Inter Miami midfielder Yannick Bright inked a three-year extension with the Herons, the club still has two open Designated Player (DP) slots that could pave the way for Neymar to reunite with Lionel Messi.
Inter Miami are building for the future. The Herons already locked down Messi through the 2028 MLS season and now Yannick Bright extended his stay in South Beach as well.
Bright’s contract extension includes an additional option for 2029, keeping the MLS SuperDraft first-round selection in a pink shirt for the foreseeable future. The midfielder is expected to be the natural successor to Sergio Busquets, who is set to retire at the end of this season along with Jordi Alba.
Now that Bright has a new deal in place, the club can continue sketching out its DP plans. The departures of Busquets and Alba free up two of the Herons’ three DP slots ahead of the 2026 MLS season.
Messi already takes up one of the slots and Rodrigo De Paul is expected to take the second. That leaves one DP slot available that could potentially be taken by Neymar.
Neymar’s Move to Inter Miami Is No Longer Impossible
Ever since Messi, Alba, Busquets and Luis Suárez joined Inter Miami, rumors have swirled around Neymar potentially joining his former Barcelona teammates in the United States. The reunion was nothing more than a dream, though, given the Herons’ three already-taken DP slots.
Yet with the Eastern Conference side set to undergo various roster changes after the conclusion of this season, the dream is no longer so outlandish. In fact, recent reports claim Inter Miami “would love” to sign Neymar.
The Brazilian, who is out of contract at the end of the year, is still vying for a place in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. To work his way back to the Seleção after years of injury woes, Neymar needs to find a new home ahead of this summer’s tournament and play consistent minutes.
Neymar could follow in the footsteps of his former Barcelona teammates and use MLS as the stage to revitalize his career. Inter Miami, though, would have to strike a deal that both entices the 33-year-old and makes sense for the club; after all, Neymar’s age and injury history could make the Herons wary of spending such a large sum on the forward.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Inter Miami Make Telling DP Decision Amid Neymar Links.
