Inter Miami sign Argentine midfield prodigy Facundo Farias from Colon. Is Aviles next?
With its three marquee stars Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba in place, Inter Miami continued its summer makeover with the signing of Argentine prodigy Facundo Farias, a 20-year-old attacking midfielder.
Miami and Argentine club Colon de Santa Fe agreed to a $5 million transfer deal for Farias, according to multiple team sources, with an additional $2 million contingent on incentives. Colon will also get 20 percent of any future transfer fees if the player is sold.
Farias is awaiting his visa paperwork and expected to travel to South Florida in the coming days. He will join the team as part of the MLS U-22 initiative, which allows teams to sign up to three players aged 22 and younger to lucrative contracts at a reduced budget charge. That decreases the risk associated with acquiring talented, but still unproven players.
They can maintain that designation through the year in which they turn 25. Players aged 20 have their salary budget charge capped at $150,000, no matter what their actual salary is. Players aged 21-25 have their budget charge capped at $200,000, which is the same charge as Young Designated Players, such as Inter Miami forward Leo Campana.
Farias turns 21 on Aug. 28.
He came up through Colon’s youth academy, was promoted to the first team in 2019. He has 16 goals and nine assists in 95 games. He was one of the most highly-regarded young Argentine players midway through last season, but missed 24 games from September 2022 to May 2023 while recovering from a ruptured knee ligament.
Miami used its first U-22 initiative slot to sign Paraguay midfielder Diego Gomez last week. The third spot may be used for center back Tomas Aviles of Argentina’s Racing Club, who turns 19 on Aug. 3 and is in talks with Inter Miami. Aviles was born in Argentina but had Chilean dual citizenship through his mother’s family, represented Chile in younger years and switched to Argentina for the recent U-20 World Cup. Miami needs another center back after the season-ending knee injury to Ian Fray.
Alba was finalizing his visa and expected to join the team by early next week.
Inter Miami won its two Leagues Cup group stage games with Messi and Robert Taylor scoring three goals apiece. The knockout stage of the tournament begins on Wednesday with the Round of 32. Miami plays at home against the winner of the Saturday game between Orlando City and Mexican team Santos. Tickets are available through TicketMaster starting at $142.
