After a January transfer window featuring numerous young U.S. players leaving MLS for Europe, one veteran who was in those shoes seven years ago is coming back.
DeAndre Yedlin has signed with Inter Miami, rejoining MLS after leaving his native Seattle for Tottenham to embark on the chapter of his career abroad. Following stints with Spurs, Sunderland, Newcastle and Galatasaray, he is signed with Miami through the 2025 MLS season, with a club option for '26. Miami was able to sign Yedlin via the MLS allocation order, which is reserved for select U.S. men's national team players, select U.S. youth national team players and players who have previously left MLS for a transfer fee of over $500,000. With Miami using its place, FC Cincinnati rises to the first position.
As for Yedlin, who is currently with the U.S. as it closes the penultimate World Cup qualifying window in Minnesota, he joins a Miami project that is in its third year and has struggled to get going from a competitive standpoint. It made the expanded playoffs in the pandemic-altered 2020 season with a 7-13-3 record (it was routed in the play-in round by fellow expansion side Nashville SC) and missed out on the postseason in '21. Yedlin, who has eight assists in his 71 caps for the national team, had his contract with Galatasaray terminated last week, allowing him to join Phil Neville's side on a free transfer.
“I’m thrilled that we’re able to bring a player of the quality of DeAndre to Inter Miami. He is a very talented, exciting, and dynamic player on the pitch and an experienced winner who is also a positive character in the locker room that will help us improve our roster,” said Miami sporting director Chris Henderson, who reunites with Yedlin after the two worked together in Seattle. “He’s a well-rounded right back who likes to get up and down the pitch and has proven himself in MLS, the Premier League, the Süper Lig, and at the international level, and we look forward to seeing him help us succeed now at Inter Miami.”