Rodrigo De Paul reveals Lionel Messi's key role in his arrival at Inter Miami | OneFootball

While Inter Miami is about to face Club Necaxa for the second match of the Leagues Cup, Rodrigo De Paul has his first interview with ESPN as a Heron.

The midfielder arrived at Chase Stadium after a long negotiation between the MLS team and Atlético de Madrid. But, finally, De Paul is part of Inter Miami's roster until 2029.

The interesting part of his deal, as told by the player, was the intensity shown by the team's captain about his arrival.

Lionel Messi was monitoring the signing

During his interview on the mentioned outlet, he stated that Messi was always asking if the negotiations were in the right direction or not.

"He had the greatness to get deeply involved in the negotiation, mainly because he wanted to know whether it would end well or just fall through. Once it was done, he called me, and as soon as I arrived, he came to welcome me and ask if I needed anything. He really looks out for me."

Before the interest of the Herons, the rumours involving De Paul's future indicated that he would continue in Europe. But a personal choice made Inter Miami a more attractive destination.

Rodrigo De Paul's debut against Atlas

With less than three training sessions with the Herons, Javier Mascherano decided that De Paul was ready to jump into the starting lineup. And the coach didn't miss.

The Argentine midfielder played all 90 minutes at a higher level than expected. It is public knowledge that he helps both on defense and offense, but seeing it firsthand, you can realize that De Paul will boost other players.