TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS:Reports
Update – Jan. 16, 10:45 am EST: The possibility of Boca Juniors midfielder Agustin Almendra heading to Inter Miami CF is picking up steam, as a new report from Toda Pasion, an Argentinian sports outlet, states the clubs are negotiating a price. The 19-year-old could fetch above eight figures, according to their report, which would bring yet another South American starlet to MLS this offseason.
In the meantime, Almendra is recovering from a sprained right ankle. In the Torneos de Verano, they're set to play Universitario on Thursday evening.
Inter Miami still have two Designated Player slots open as the start of preseason approaches, but reports out of Argentina indicate they may have identified an exciting young talent to fill one of them.
According to journalist and producer Cesar Luis Merlo of TyC Sports, Inter Miami is set to send a formal offer to Boca Juniors for 19-year-old midfielder Agustin Almendra, who has also been trailed by big European clubs including Napoli, Roma and Valencia.
A later report from the same outlet suggests Miami will offer $10 million for 70% of Almendra's sell-on rights. According to TNT Sports and journalist Matias Bustos Milla of CNN Deportes in Buenos Aires, Boca could be inclined to sell Almendra as they look to fund other player purchases for their upcoming Argentine Superliga and Copa Libertadores campaigns, a point also reinforced in the later TyC Sports report.
Almendra, who has drawn frequent comparisons to famed Boca Juniors product Juan Roman Riquelme, made his league debut for the Argentine club in April 2018 and has picked up two goals and an assist across 31 league appearances. He has has six Copa Libertores' appearances under his belt, including three starts.
The midfielder reportedly has a release clause of $30 million, although Argentine media have previously speculated that he could leave Boca for something between $15–20 million.
Miami have already recruited a pair of young Argentine players, Matias Pellegrini (their first DP) and Julian Carranza, who were among the club's very first signings. They named Uruguayan manager Diego Alonso as their first head coach on Dec. 30, but still have plenty of spots to fill on their roster ahead of the start of their inaugural MLS season, which will begin with a trip to LAFC on March 1.
