Diego Gomez left Inter Miami this January to join Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion in the biggest sale in Herons history.
The Paraguay international signed for the Seagulls in a deal worth almost $20m with Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler excited by Gomez’s arrival on the English south coast after a sensational 18 months with Inter Miami.
With Gomez lauding his time playing alongside Lionel Messi, the midfielder’s time with Inter Miami has given the 21-year-old the best possible education heading to the Premier League with Brighton, where the South American talent could become a superstar.
And this weekend saw Gomez make Inter Miami history with Brighton against Manchester United.
Gomez becomes first former Inter Miami player to play in the Premier League
Gomez finally made his official debut for Brighton this weekend away to Premier League giants Manchester United, with the midfielder brought on for the final minutes of the match as the Seagulls secured a famous 3-1 win against the Red Devils.
And as a result of Gomez’s debut, the Paraguay international became the first former Inter Miami player to play in the Premier League, with the midfielder set for an exciting career in England with the south coast side.
Indeed, Gomez is the first real success story from Inter Miami’s long-term project with Messi to become one of the best teams in the world and to follow a similar model to other top MLS sides where young players can be developed and sold on to Europe for big profits.
And with Gomez making his debut against United of all clubs, the midfielder is clearly set for a big future at Brighton, a team that in recent years have established themselves as one of the best in Europe in developing young players into superstars.
Who could be next to leave Inter Miami for Europe?
MLS to Europe is quickly becoming a viable pipeline as the quality of players in the American top-flight continues to improve, with Gomez’s record-breaking move to Brighton just one such example of the steps that are being taken to close the gap between the two continents.
And there’s a real chance that Inter Miami could see more players one day leave for Europe, with 19-year-old Benjamin Cremaschi set for another big year in 2025 having spent the last 18 months as a key player for the Herons.
With Inter Miami teenager Santiago Morales making headlines this weekend after the Herons’ pre-season win against Club America, the midfielder could also have one eye on Europe if the 17-year-old can break into the first-team proper this year, with Mascherano likely to turn to youth this season.