Lionel Messi could get a new teammate after rumors linking Juan Fernando Quintero to Inter Miami. Lionel Messi‘s Inter Miami have emerged as one of the clubs monitoring Juan Fernando Quintero’s situation after Colombia’s 2026 World Cup playmaker became a free agent following his exit from River Plate. According to Diario AS Colombia, the Herons are among the options being considered for the 33-year-old, though there’s no confirmation yet of direct talks between the two parties. If it materializes, the move would put Quintero in a locker room already stacked with Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, Luis Suárez, Sergio Reguilón and new arrival Casemiro. Quintero’s departure from River came after a turbulent final stretch of his third spell at the club, marked by open friction with head coach Eduardo Coudet. The midfielder didn’t hide his frustration before the split. Juan Quintero #20 of Colombia during the 2026 World Cup. (Getty Images) “I’m not a priority for Coudet. As a person, I have the utmost respect for him, but footballing-wise we think differently. I didn’t get much continuity under him; I played five minutes in the final,” Quintero told ESPN’s Equipo F. Both sides ultimately agreed to terminate his contract following Colombia’s run at the 2026 World Cup, where the Tricolor were eliminated in the round of 16 on penalties to Switzerland in Vancouver. What could Quintero bring to Miami Quintero’s arrival would make sense from a pure squad-management standpoint. Inter Miami are juggling three competitions simultaneously this season: the MLS regular season, the Leagues Cup, and the Concacaf Champions Cup, where they enter directly in the Round of 16 after clinching their first-ever MLS Cup title last year. With that packed calendar and Messi, De Paul and others needing careful rotation after their World Cup runs, adding a proven creative midfielder like Quintero would give Hoyos real depth to manage fixture congestion without leaning too heavily on his older stars.
Juan Cuadrado confirmed interest from an MLS team, leading many to wonder whether he could end up as Lionel Messi's teammate at Inter Miami. Juan Cuadrado finds himself without a club after his one-year stint at Pisa in Italy’s Serie A came to an end on June 30, and Lionel Messi‘s Inter Miami have emerged as a possible suitor for the Colombian, after he confirmed he received an offer from MLS. Besides MLS, the 37-year-old player revealed in an interview with DSports that he also has offers from Mexico and a club in Europe. “There are offers from the United States, from Mexico, and one from Europe that isn’t confirmed yet, but there are talks… Right now I’m waiting on proposals, but for the moment I’m not ruling out the FPC (Professional Colombian Football),” Cuadrado revealed. While Cuadrado hasn’t revealed any of the clubs that have shown interest in him, Inter Miami could easily be one of the MLS sides in the mix for several reasons. The Colombian is currently a free agent, which would make any move straightforward from a contractual standpoint. Since he wouldn’t need to be signed as a Designated Player, the Herons wouldn’t have to touch their salary cap structure to fit him in — a detail that matters given how tightly Miami already manage their DP slots around Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and German Berterame. German Berterame celebrates a goal with Lionel Messi. (Getty Images) There’s also a clear on-field need he could fill. Facundo Mura, the Argentine right back Inter Miami signed as a free agent from Racing Club, has yet to find the level he showed during his time in Argentina. Cuadrado, who can also operate as a right-sided midfielder, would give Hoyos both direct competition for that spot and extra depth on the right flank, something the squad could use as the fixture list piles up. Cuadrado brings a wealth of experience Then there’s the experience factor. Cuadrado cuenta con muchos partidos con una alta carga de presión, having played in a Champions League final. There, he came on as a substitute for Juventus in the 2016-17 decider against Real Madrid, where they lost 1-4 in Cardiff. On the international stage, he featured for Colombia at two World Cups, 2014 and 2018, and across five editions of the Copa America, helping the team to third-place finishes in 2016 and 2021 over more than 110 caps for La Tricolor. None of that guarantees a move to Fort Lauderdale, but between the financial fit, the positional need, and the pedigree he’d bring to the dressing room, Inter Miami have plenty of reasons to keep an eye on Cuadrado’s situation as he weighs his options between MLS, Mexico, Europe and Colombia.
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