Inter Miami Closes In on New Striker After Missing Out on Son Heung-min's Teammate
Inter Miami are said to be nearing completion of a major signing for Monterrey forward Germán Berterame, despite LAFC's Denis Bouanga initially being their preferred target.
The Florida club has been extremely active during this winter transfer period. Rodrigo De Paul's temporary move was converted to a permanent deal for a record-breaking $17.6 million, while they also secured fellow ex-loanee and MLS Cup playoff standout Tadeo Allende.
Ex-Manchester United and Real Madrid defender Sergio Reguilón joined to fill the void left by Jordi Alba's retirement, before Miami achieved the remarkable feat of acquiring MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Dayne St. Clair without a transfer fee. The newly-minted MLS Cup winners aren't finished with their business yet.
Berterame has consistently been identified as a primary target for the Herons, and The Athletic indicates that a $15 million transfer—which would make him the club's second-largest acquisition—is approaching completion.
The 27-year-old Mexico striker has begun 2026 in the same scoring form that marked the end of 2025. Though he netted twice during the Apertura playoffs, Berterame was unable to help Monterrey claim the championship before Sergio Ramos announced his retirement. Following a Clausura opener loss to Liga MX titleholders Toluca, the Argentine-born attacker has found the net in back-to-back league matches.
Despite Berterame's excellent form over the last year, he wasn't Miami's initial striker target.
The same Athletic piece reveals that a $13 million bid was submitted for LAFC's Bouanga. That proposal was immediately dismissed as the Gabonese forward has "no desire to move." And it's easy to understand why.
Bouanga has netted 20+ goals in each of his three complete west coast campaigns but discovered renewed vigor following Son Heung-min's mid-season arrival. The former Tottenham skipper quickly formed a partnership with his new colleague, with the duo dominating the team's offensive production. During one summer stretch, the pair were exclusively responsible for 18 straight LAFC goals.
Naturally, LAFC rejected Miami's pursuit, compelling them to turn their attention to Berterame. Nevertheless, signing a new striker creates some challenging questions regarding Luis Suárez's future.
Javier Mascherano Backs Luis Suarez
Javier Mascherano Backs Luis Suarez
With his 39th birthday approaching, thoughts of retirement likely crossed Suárez's mind following last season's conclusion. The 2025 season proved difficult for the former Barcelona star, who was displaced from the starting lineup by Mateo Silvetti during Miami's successful MLS Cup playoff campaign. Despite this, the determined Uruguayan agreed to a contract extension running through 2026.
Miami manager Javier Mascherano avoided discussing Berterame's possible signing directly, but emphasized that his former Barcelona colleague would remain valuable this season. "Luis remains a crucial player for this organization, and that won't change," the Argentine stated.
"Once preseason begins, everyone starts with a clean slate. We'll assess each player's performance level and field our strongest possible lineup.
"Our goal is building a competitive squad. I can confirm some players have already joined us, and certainly more additions are coming."