Neymar, blocked by salary cap

Football millionaires are also running into problems because of...money. The American football club Inter Miami has explained that the transfer of Brazilian Neymar (Al Hilal) is almost impossible, and among the reasons is the salary cap imposed by Major League Soccer (MLS). Inter's Argentine coach Javier Macherano explained: ""We can't talk about Ney, because we have nothing. Obviously, Ney is a great player. Every coach in the world wants him, but at the moment we know the MLS rules regarding the salary cap. So, for us at the moment, it is impossible to try to think about him.''

Clubs in the Gulf area do not face such problems and that is precisely why they can afford to transfer stars on a conveyor belt. The Brazilian superstar signed the contract proposed by the Saudis in 2023, one for two years, with a total salary of 300 million dollars.

In a press conference, Mascherano said that in view of the 2025 season, his priority is to complete the reinforcement of the squad after the sales and transfers carried out at the end of last season and promised that the club will give more details in the coming weeks. At Inter Miami, Mascherano will work with four former FC Barcelona teammates, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets. Inter Miami will begin the preseason with a friendly match on January 18 in Las Vegas (Nevada) against Club America, the current champion of the Mexican league, a match for which the team from South Florida will arrive with little time to prepare, according to its new coach, appointed in November after the departure of his compatriot Gerardo Martino. The Argentine said that since being appointed coach at Inter Miami he has taken the opportunity to study Major League Soccer (MLS) and especially the teams in the Eastern Conference, where the team led by Lionel Messi plays. Returning to Neymar, who did not play in 2024 due to injury, he is expected in Brazil, but here too his salary is an issue.