Tata Martino stepped down as manager of Inter Miami earlier this week, with Javier Mascherano set to take over from the former FC Barcelona coach.
The Argentina U-23 manager has built quite the reputation for himself in the national team set-up since hanging up his boots, with Mascherano a former teammate of Lionel Messi for both club and country in the mid-2010s.
Having crashed out of the play-offs at such an early stage, there will be pressure for Mascherano to go all the way in MLS Cup next year, a task made even bigger with Inter Miami being the Argentine coach’s first role managing a club.
Yet Mascherano already has one big signing in mind for Inter Miami next year.
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Mascherano eyes Angel Di Maria for Inter Miami
According to El Crack Deportivo, Mascherano has earmarked Angel Di Maria as a potential signing for Inter Miami, with the Benfica attacker a former international teammate for the new Herons manager and Messi.
A former Real Madrid superstar, Di Maria has been linked with Inter Miami already this year before the 36-year-old forward opted to sign a new contract with Benfica, though whispers of a move to MLS and Florida have persisted.
And with Mascherano set to take the hot seat at Chase Stadium, there’s a real chance that the new Inter Miami manager could use his influence in the Argentine game to convince Di Maria to join the Supporters’ Shield champions.
Indeed, Messi and Di Maria were two key players in Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup win in Qatar, and the pair reuniting in Florida would be quite the spectacle, especially with Luis Suarez set to remain for another year.
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Di Maria signing would make up for missing out on Neymar
Neymar closing in on a return to Santos over Inter Miami was something a lot of Inter Miami fans weren’t expecting given how poetic it would have been for the Brazilian to reunite with Messi and Suarez in MLS.
Yet with Di Maria now back on the table for Inter Miami, signing the 36-year-old winger would make up for the Herons missing out on Neymar, with the Argentine attacker a phenomenal player who would be quite the hit at Chase Stadium.
Moreover, Di Maria playing with Messi at club level could lead to Inter Miami having the perfect squad to go all the way in MLS, especially with this season ending so poorly for the record-breaking Supporters’ Shield winners.
