Inter Miami have moved from experiment to commitment with Rodrigo De Paul.

The club have officially exercised their option to sign the Argentine World Cup winner on a permanent deal from Atlético Madrid, turning what began as a carefully structured 2025 loan into a long-term bet at the heart of their midfield.

This is not just another roster note. It is a clear signal of where Inter Miami want to go in the next phase of the post-Lionel Messi project, and how they plan to build around an elite core instead of constantly starting over.

Inter Miami Trigger Option To Buy Rodrigo De Paul

In their end-of-season roster announcement, Inter Miami confirmed that De Paul's move from Atlético Madrid is no longer just a loan. The club have triggered the purchase option written into the original agreement.

ESPN framed it simply and directly: Inter Miami "have also exercised their option to sign Argentine World Cup winner Rodrigo De Paul to a permanent deal." That one sentence confirms what had long felt likely from the moment the deal was first put together.

Crucially, this is not a fresh, drawn-out negotiation with Atlético Madrid. The permanent transfer flows from the existing option-to-buy clause that was agreed as part of the initial 2025 season loan. The structure was designed from day one to make this outcome straightforward if Miami were happy with what De Paul brought.

How The Loan Set Up This Permanent Transfer

The background to this deal explains a lot about how Inter Miami think.

When De Paul arrived on loan for the 2025 season, reporting around the move made it clear that the option to buy was more than just a safety net. A multi-year contract path was already there, ready to be activated. Miami were not just testing a player; they were testing a long-term pillar of the team under MLS roster rules.

ESPN, in its earlier deep dive on the move, underlined how planned the process was: "Now that the ink is dry, Inter Miami will pay De Paul a prorated $1.5 million for the duration of his loan, and the option to make his move permanent appears to be a formality."

That line – "a formality" – reads almost prophetic now. It tells us the decision makers in Miami always saw this loan as Phase 1 of a longer project.

"This never felt like a trial, it felt like the first chapter of De Paul's Miami story."

One important detail: while an Instagram caption has circulated claiming a €15m transfer fee, that number is not confirmed by the key mainstream reports referenced here. The ESPN coverage acknowledges the permanent move and the mechanism, but does not list a public fee figure. Until a club statement or major outlet reports it directly, that number remains unverified.

Designated Player Puzzle: Busquets Out, De Paul In?

On the MLS side, what makes this deal especially interesting is how it connects to Miami's Designated Player (DP) puzzle.

Every MLS club has a limited number of DP slots. These are used for stars whose salaries and transfer costs sit far above the standard cap level. How a club distributes those slots says everything about its ambitions and identity.

With Sergio Busquets now retired, one of those prime DP spots has opened. ESPN's reporting has already flagged that De Paul's permanent move could be tied directly to that vacancy. Earlier coverage suggested that once Miami made the deal permanent, they would have the flexibility to register the Argentine as a DP, depending on other roster moves.

This matters because De Paul is not just another solid midfielder. He is a World Cup winner, a player who thrived in Argentina's engine room next to Lionel Messi, and someone expected to be a leader on and off the ball. Giving him a DP slot would match his profile and lock in his long-term importance in Miami.

"If Busquets leaves and De Paul takes that DP space, you can see the power shift in Miami's midfield era."

At the same time, the club must balance this against other high-profile names, ongoing talks with players like Luis Suárez, and any future big signings they may target. Every DP choice is a trade-off.

Roster Decisions: De Paul Headline In A Bigger Miami Reset

Inter Miami did not just quietly file a single contract update. The announcement around De Paul came wrapped in a wider set of roster decisions.

The ESPN report on the club's roster moves mentioned:

• Active discussions over Luis Suárez and his future at the club
• Uncertainty or expiration around other loans, such as Tadeo Allende
• The confirmed retirement of Sergio Busquets, creating both an emotional and tactical gap

In that context, De Paul's permanent move stands out as both anchor and statement. While some pieces are moving out and others are still in question, Miami have chosen to remove the uncertainty around one of their key midfielders.

It is a classic front-office message: we are changing, but we are not starting from scratch. There is a spine we trust.

Why Inter Miami Are All-In On Rodrigo De Paul

So why commit now, and why commit this strongly?

First, De Paul brings pedigree. He is not a prospect or a fading name. He is a full international, central to a World Cup-winning Argentina side. That experience rarely comes cheap, and it usually does not arrive in MLS backed by a long-term, well-planned structure.

Second, he fits the way Miami want to play. De Paul is known for his work rate, his aggressive pressing, his ability to carry the ball through midfield, and his comfort in big moments. In a league that can be chaotic and physical, those traits are gold.

Third, the timing matches a clear need. With Busquets gone, Miami have lost a metronome, a deep-lying director of play. De Paul is not a like-for-like replacement, but he gives the midfield energy, bite and leadership. The idea may be less about copying Busquets and more about reshaping the entire center of the pitch.

"Miami aren't just chasing names anymore, they're building a core that can outlast any one star."

There is also a branding angle. Inter Miami want to be seen as a destination for top South American talent in their prime years, not only as a final stop for aging legends. Keeping De Paul permanently supports that image.

Sorting Fact From Hype: Fee And Titles Talk

As often happens around a major transfer, the noise online has moved faster than the verified facts.

An Instagram caption linked to the move has claimed a €15m transfer fee and suggested that De Paul "has won his first two titles in club career in the last two weeks" with Inter Miami. Based on the information at hand, both of those points need caution.

From the sources referenced here:

• ESPN confirms that the option to make De Paul's loan permanent has been exercised.
• ESPN does not confirm any specific transfer fee in the articles cited.
• The claim about two recent club titles with Miami is not addressed in the provided reporting and would require separate checks against match data and trophy records.

For now, what we can say with confidence is limited but solid: the option has been triggered, the deal is permanent, and the mechanism comes from the original loan agreement rather than a newly hammered-out negotiation.

What Comes Next For Inter Miami And De Paul

The permanence of this move raises big questions for the seasons ahead.

How will Miami shape their midfield around De Paul now that he is not just passing through? Will he be the emotional center of the team as other veterans age out or move on? And how will his DP status, if used that way, limit or shape the club's ability to bring in other stars?

We also wait for more clarity from the club itself. At some point, Inter Miami may publicly share more detail on the contract length, salary structure or even, possibly, the fee involved. Until then, speculation will continue, but the on-field reality is already decided.

Rodrigo De Paul is Inter Miami's player, not just their loanee.

For a club that has often lived in the spotlight of short-term noise, this is a move that suggests long-term thinking. The next chapter in Miami will not be written around just one icon. It will be written by a core – and De Paul is now firmly part of it.

How far that core can carry Inter Miami in MLS and beyond is now one of the most interesting storylines to watch.