Reports: Rodolfo Pizarro expected to join Inter Miami after final buyout hurdle cleared

TRANSFER TRACKER: Reports

UPDATE, Wednesday, 7 pm ET — Monterrey announced on Wednesday evening that Rodolfo Pizarro has "unilaterally rescinded his contract" with the club. Such a move would presumably pave the way for his joining Miami.

UPDATE, Wednesday, 3 pm ET — Paul Tenorio of The Athletic reported on Wednesday afternoon that Inter Miami CF has finally reached an agreement with CF Monterrey regarding Rodolfo Pizarro's release clause and has acquired the Mexico international. Shortly after, ESPN's Tom Marshall also reported the deal had been agreed upon.

If true, the news would end a long-running saga over the 25-year-old, whom Tenorio earlier reported had already agreed to personal terms with Miami. The hangup with the deal, Tenorio writes, was some confusion over the language of Pizarro's release clause. Ultimately, Miami paid $12 million, Tenorio indicated on Twitter (Marshall also confirmed the number).

Additionally, a report from TUDN's Diego Medina indicated in a Wednesday afternoon report that Pizarro would be flying from Monterrey to Miami on Thursday morning.

UPDATE, Wednesday, 12 pm ET –  Reports of Pizarro joining Miami have further picked up steam, with TUDN reporting that the attacking midfielder was held out of Monterrey’s Copa MX game against Santos Laguna on Tuesday night due to an imminent deal.

Pizzaro didn’t make the bench after he registered a 25-minute substitute appearance for Rayados last weekend against Club Leon in a 3-1 Clausura defeat. The report from TUDN indicates that Pizzaro’s exclusion was an executive decision, not a coaching one.

Reports of Pizarro joining the MLS expansion outfit have lingered for several weeks, with the biggest snag appearing to be a release clause. Inter Miami have two Designated Player spots open, and a player of Pizzaro’s caliber would certainly boost their attack heading into 2020.

ORIGINAL, Tuesday, 12 pm ET – Reports of Rodolfo Pizarro heading to Inter Miami CF have received a boost, with Michelle Kaufman of the Miami Herald reporting that the CF Monterrey attacking midfielder could join the expansion club as early as this week.

The move has been rumored for weeks, with previous updates explaining how Inter Miami were yet to meet the Mexican international’s buyout clause to secure a move away from Liga MX. However, head coach Diego Alonso is keeping his lips sealed about Pizarro potentially joining his project in South Florida.

“I don’t comment on players who are not on my team,” Alonso said. “It isn’t right. It’s disrespectful to the player and his current club. I only speak about players who are on my team.”

Kaufman’s report also outlines that Inter Miami are angling for a high-profile European-based player, though no position or further details were named. 

As of now, Inter Miami have two Designated Player slots left to fill, though have exercised patience in that regard before the club’s March 1 debut at LAFC. That possibility has another wrinkle, too, with news surfacing yesterday that Argentine forward Julian Carranza will be sidelined for 10-12 weeks with a left foot injury.

 “We have two franchise spots left to fill, and I am sure they will get here,” Alonso said. “We are working hard on that, and we have ideas of who they are, but we don’t talk about players who are not here.”

For more from Kaufman, you can check out the full story here.