Lionel Messi has helped lead Inter Miami to the best MLS season in franchise history despite major roster turnover at the start of 2025. However, ahead of next season, the club will need to address the looming departure of Jordi Alba, and the Herons are reportedly targeting an MLS standout to replace him.
Jordi Alba has been one of Inter Miami’s most influential players in 2025, appearing in 51 matches while scoring eight goals and providing 16 assists from the left back position. Those numbers make his decision to retire at the end of the season even more surprising, but the need to replace his production has pushed the Fort Lauderdale club to search for another top-tier option within the league.
According to Sky Sports’ Patrick Berger and transfer expert Uriel Lugt, Inter Miami have identified Kai Wagner as Alba’s successor. The German left back is coming off a Supporters’ Shield–winning season with the Philadelphia Union, and given the scale of the void Alba will leave behind, Miami’s interest in Wagner has intensified.
In fact, talks have already taken place with Wagner’s camp, signaling that Miami are moving aggressively for his signature. Wagner’s contract with the Union expires in December 2026, meaning Philadelphia would need to consider a winter or summer move if an extension isn’t reached to avoid losing him for free.
Kai Wagner #27 of Philadelphia Union.
Widely regarded as one of MLS’s best left backs, Wagner has tallied seven goals and 46 assists across 201 league matches since joining the Union in 2019. With a release clause reportedly around $1.5 million (despite his Transfermarkt valuation being closer to €5 million), he represents a high-quality and cost-effective option for Miami’s left flank.
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What about Sergio Reguilonto Inter Miami?
Messi has played more than 400 matches — specifically, 420 — alongside Jordi Alba for both FC Barcelona and Inter Miami. The chemistry they built over more than a decade will be nearly impossible to replicate, leaving questions about whether a new signing can match that connection, especially after recent uncertainty surrounding Sergio Reguilón and Miami’s emerging pursuit of Wagner.
In October, Fabrizio Romano reported that Reguilón turned down multiple proposals from Europe and Asia, including higher salaries than what Inter Miami could offer. His priority, however, was to join Messi in South Florida, with talks reportedly at an advanced stage.
Since then, no deal has been announced and updates have gone quiet. After leaving Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer last summer and remaining a free agent, Reguilón now appears to have been overtaken by Wagner on Miami’s wish list as the club seeks a more proven and MLS-ready option. Still, given the squad’s strong Spanish-speaking core, it remains to be seen what direction the Herons ultimately choose.
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