Inter Miami have been arguably the best-run club in in MLS in the last 18 months since the arrival of Lionel Messi.
The Herons have reached new heights with the Argentine superstar in their roster with Inter Miami winning the Supporters’ Shield and setting a new regular-season points record, though the Florida franchise fell short in the MLS play-offs.
With new manager Javier Mascherano having big plans to sign the likes of Angel Di Maria, this off-season is set to be a huge one for Inter Miami, who will have one eye on building a team good enough to compete at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Yet Inter Miami are now set to lose a hugely important member of their backroom staff.
Sporting director Chris Henderson set to join Atlanta United
According to GiveMeSport, Inter Miami sporting director Chris Henderson has finalized a deal to join Atlanta United, the same team that eliminated the Herons from this year’s MLS play-offs in stunning fashion.
Henderson joined Inter Miami in 2021 and has been credited for putting in a lot of the work that has put the Herons where they are today, with the sporting director playing a role in bringing Messi to Chase Stadium.
Yet heading into the January transfer window, Inter Miami now face a big problem with Henderson no longer at the club, with the sporting director role in need of being filled if the Herons are to have a successful market bringing in new players.
Indeed, a sporting director is key for Inter Miami if they’re to build a squad that can compete at the Club World Cup, and time is already running out for the Herons to find a successor for Atlanta-bound Henderson.
Who could Inter Miami appoint to replace Henderson?
Inter Miami had arguably the best sporting director in MLS in Henderson, with Atlanta’s appointment of the former Seattle Sounders official a shrew move for the Five Stripes in their own mission to rebuild for 2025.
As for the Herons, the mission to find a replacement begins now, and there are some big-name figures out there who could be suited to Inter Miami, such as former Arsenal sporting director Edu Gaspar and short-term Liverpool official Jorg Schmadtke.
Indeed, Inter Miami have the resources and the appeal to appoint any sporting director they want, and the mission now for the likes of David Beckham is to find the right appointment as soon as possible.