Major League Soccer (MLS) opened an investigation into the signing of Brazilian midfielder Casemiro by Inter Miami, due to an accusation of possible unauthorized contacts with the footballer before the club could officially negotiate.

The case involves the Los Angeles Galaxy, a team that had the discovery rights of the former Real Madrid player within the American league, a mechanism that gives priority to negotiate with certain international soccer players.

Casemiro's arrival at Inter Miami was announced this Wednesday, but is now under review by the MLS as the organization analyzes information related to the move.

MLS reviews possible manipulation in the signing of Casemiro

The American league confirmed that it began an investigation after the complaint filed by the Los Angeles Galaxy, who indicated that Inter Miami had contacted the Brazilian player before having the corresponding authorization.

"Major League Soccer is reviewing an accusation of manipulation against Inter Miami. The league is compiling all relevant information and will refrain from making further comments until the review is complete," the entity reported in a statement.

According to sources cited by ESPN, the Los Angeles team went to the MLS considering that the Miami team had communication with Casemiro before the process established by the competition concluded.

What are discovery rights in the MLS?

MLS discovery rights are a mechanism that allows clubs to register interest in certain international players and gain priority in negotiating with them.

If another team wants to incorporate a player protected by these rights, it must first reach an agreement with the club that owns them before starting talks with the player.

In this case, the Los Angeles Galaxy had the discovery rights of Casemiro registered, so any negotiation of the midfielder had to have their participation.

“Although Inter Miami and the Los Angeles Galaxy have reached an agreement for the ‘discovery priority’ of signing Casemiro, the terms will be published at the conclusion of the tampering investigation,” the league said.

Casemiro arrives at Inter Miami with a contract until 2027

Despite the ongoing investigation, Inter Miami officially announced the incorporation of Casemiro as a new reinforcement of the team.

The Brazilian midfielder signed an agreement that links him with the club until May 2027, with the possibility of extending his contract until the end of the 2029 season.

The team led by Inter Miami did not inform what salary space the footballer will occupy within the squad, a relevant point due to the economic restrictions of the MLS.

Inter Miami must resolve Casemiro's salary situation

Casemiro's arrival represents an important move for Inter Miami, although the club has yet to define how it will register the player within the league's salary structure.

The team does not have any of the three Designated Player spots available, a category that allows the higher salaries of certain players not to fully count toward the salary limit established by MLS.

Furthermore, the incorporation of the Brazilian is still pending for him to obtain the corresponding work visa to be able to officially join the team.

While the MLS continues with the investigation, the signing of Casemiro for Inter Miami remains one of the most relevant movements in the American league market.