"Surely, there will be more movement" - Tata Martino details Inter Miami's transfer 'priority' ahead of new MLS season
Inter Miami boss Tata Martino has said that the MLS side are not done with their transfer dealing ahead of the new league season next month.
The Herons snapped up former Liverpool and Barcelona striker Luis Suarez on a free transfer last month, uniting him with his former Barca mates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
Martino's side also brought in midfielder Julian Gressel but sold centre-back Kamal Miller to Portland Timbers. The Argentinian boss recently told Miami Herald (via GOAL) that the club's priority is a new centre-back, having sold Miller:
“It’s clear that with the departure of Kamal (Miller) to Portland, we need a centre-back, that is a priority for us. Then we have to see which players we may lose.
"With the arrivals of Luis (Suarez) and Julian (Gressel), we have two very good additions, and we haven’t lost many players. Surely, there will be more movement before the start of league play.”
Miami open their new MLS campaign at home to Real Salt Lake City on February 21. They finished 14th out of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference last season, briefly flirting with the prospect of postseason qualification before falling well short.
Inter Miami gearing up for their first pre-season trip outside the US
Inter Miami are set to embark on their first pre-season trip outside the United States.
Tata Martino's side commence their pre-season with a trip to El Salvador on January 19 to play a hybrid friendly against their national team. Three days later, they take on FC Dallas in Dallas before travelling to Saudi Arabia to take on Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal on January 29 in Riyadh.
Three days later, at the same time, Messi's Miami lock horns with Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr. The Herons next play the Hong Kong Team, a collection of players from the region's first division, on February 4.
On February 7, Martino's side will play Vissel Kobe in Tokyo before winding up their preseason eight days later at home against Messi's boyhood club Newell's Old Boys.