Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas criticized Major League Soccer’s Discovery List rule, admitting he’s campaigned against this system for over two years.
MLS rules state that clubs can sign up to five players to their discovery list at any given time. By listing a player, that team holds the exclusive right to begin negotiations first without competition from other MLS clubs.
“I have attempted for over two years to have the rules changed in the league. I do not think the discovery process benefits any MLS clubs, other than entering negotiations over players that they have no idea about. If that rule changes or not we will see. This league having a list of players that is not made public is something we should move forward with,” Mas said on Thursday in Casemiro‘s introductory press conference.
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His comments come after the league announced a review into a tampering allegation against Inter Miami in the signing of Brazilian midfielder Casemiro. LA Galaxy has discovery priority over Casemiro, forcing Inter Miami to acquire the player’s rights from the Western Conference club before ever negotiating with the midfielder.
“The league is gathering all relevant information and will refrain from further comment until the review is complete,” MLS said in a statement.
Sources confirmed to ESPN that the LA Galaxy filed a tampering claim against Inter Miami to MLS regarding contact with Casemiro without first acquiring the player’s Discovery Priority. Though Inter Miami and the Galaxy have since settled for the Discovery Priority of Casemiro, the league will continue to review the claim. Mas denied violating the league rules.
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“In the league, there is the discovery rule, Casemiro was on the list of LA Galaxy. I do not feel it has been reported accurately what the implications of the Discovery List really mean,” Mas said.
“In this case, the executives at Inter Miami, especially Alberto Marrero, respected the letter of the MLS law regarding the Discovery List. We did not enter talks until we settled with the LA Galaxy. We abided; we did not enter negotiations with Casemiro or his reps without talking to the Galaxy and the league until given the green light”.
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“What is not known, the discovery list is secret. Our sporting department has no idea what players are on other lists. And these players have no idea that they are on these lists,” he added.
“If the Galaxy made a bona fide offer, that team retained the rights to Casemiro. In that case, there is a negotiation between clubs where the league gets involved…Supposedly, we violated the rule while we were negotiating with the Galaxy. There was an accusation made, which we did not tamper whatsoever.”
Casemiro previously addressed the situation, clarifying that he only intended to play with Inter Miami and communicated that to the Galaxy.
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“I would like to be very clear about this situation, especially as it pertains to my person,” Casemiro said.
“I spoke to the Galaxy a while ago. I left it very clear to them that I wanted to join Miami because, in the end, it’s a city I love. My wife, my kids and I are always here when we have days off. We know the city. When I spoke to them [the Galaxy], I made it very clear which team I wanted to join in the MLS and that is Inter Miami because of the project, the hope and of course to play with the best player of all time.”
