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France Media Agency
“The MLS sanctioned Inter Miami who contravened the directives in terms of salary conditions during the 2020 season, concerning Blaise Matuidi and (the Colombian) Andres Reyes”, indicates the statement of the authority.
“A fine of $ 2 million is imposed on the club and another of $ 250,000 on co-owner Jorge Mas. In addition, Paul McDonough, sporting director of Inter Miami at the time of the offenses committed, was suspended from all functions until the end of the 2022 season ”, it is specified.
While this fine is an MLS-wide record, neither player affected by these rule violations has been penalized.
The league opened an investigation in March into the salary conditions enjoyed by Matuidi, when he signed up with the Florida club in August 2020, from Juventus Turin.
It follows that the club did not respect the rules, by not classifying him as a “designated player”, namely those, at the maximum number of three per squad, who may have a salary exceeding the ceiling set by the MLS . Which at Inter happened to be the Mexican Rodolfo Pizarro and the Argentines Matias Pellegrini and Gonzalo Higuain.
Matuidi was therefore part, like the rest of the team, of the players whose salary conditions are under TAM (Targeted Allocation Money) status, ie whose salary is regulated. According to the rules for the 2020 season, he should have been paid a minimum of US $ 612,500 and a maximum of US $ 1.6 million.
This obviously did not correspond to his status as a star of the team (with Higuain) and even less as reigning world champion with the Blues, crowned in 2018 in Russia. However, the MLS investigation has established that Matuidi received more money than he should have.
For this season and the following ones, the Florida club has changed the status of the former Paris SG raster, who is now one of the “designated players” in accordance with the rule nicknamed… “Beckham Rule”.
It was established in 2007, to allow the Los Angeles Galaxy to enlist the former star of Real Madrid, because he also benefited from emoluments far exceeding MLS standards.
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