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Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne recently announced that he would be leaving the club at the end of the current season after his deal expires, leaving the fate of his future open to many different possibilities. Since De Bruyne becomes a free agent in the upcoming summer, many clubs will try and lure the talented Belgian into their team. And according to the recent reports, some sources have informed ESPN that David Beckham’s Inter Miami is one of the clubs who are looking to sign the 33-year-old midfielder as they hold his discovery rights.
This move could see De Bruyne join an already star-studded lineup at Inter Miami alongside Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Under the influence of these star players, Miami is already enjoying their historically best start to the domestic season with four wins and two draws in the first six matches. The addition of De Bruyne would only bolster the squad further as they will look to get their hands on multiple pieces of silverware this season.
What exactly are discovery rights in MLS?
Unlike traditional open markets, MLS uses several roster mechanisms to maintain competitive balance, and discovery rights help teams claim priority over international or unassigned players. Each MLS club maintains a discovery list, typically consisting of around seven to 10 players they are interested in signing and these players are those who are not already part of the MLS. If a player is on a club’s discovery list, that club holds the exclusive MLS rights to negotiate with him.
If another team wishes to sign the same player, they must first acquire his discovery rights through a trade, which often involves General Allocation Money or other assets. While the discovery lists are confidential, the process promotes orderly competition among clubs pursuing global talent. With De Bruyne’s future looking uncertain beyond the current season, it will be interesting to see where he lands up soon.
