Mario Götze is among the latest bunch of foreign players to be linked with big-money moves to MLS sides. The former German international is said to have already met with David Beckham’s Inter Miami, per Fabrizio Romano and MLS insider Tom Bogert. Miami, which has an available Designated Player spot, is among the favorites to trigger Götze’s $4.2 million release clause.
Inter Miami have indeed had talks to sign German World Cup winning midfielder Mario Gotze, MLSsoccer has learned. Miami had a scout in Eindhoven for months.
Gotze is one of a few big targets for Miami's final DP spot. They're in talks with others as well.https://t.co/iY9nnKAZ4W— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) June 18, 2022
To complete the signing, Miami will face some tough competition. The PSV man also counts Benfica and Eintracht Frankfurt among his suitors, the latter of which can offer Champions League football.
Mario Götze Has Had One Rollercoaster Career
Even the most casual Inter Miami fans will recognize Götze’s name from his heroics for Germany in the 2014 World Cup final. Then 22, Götze came on as a late substitute and scored the extra-time winner that cemented his place in history books.
On this day in 2014, Mario Gotze came from the bench at 88th mins to score the World Cup winning goal at 113th mins for Germany against Argentina.
What are your deepest memories of the 2014 FIFA World Cup?#mondaythoughts #GetSporty #BetSportypic.twitter.com/4WtMRd95Bd— SportyBet (@SportyBet) July 13, 2020
That goal, coupled with stellar performances for Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, had Götze pegged among the most promising young players in the world.
Götze’s world came crashing down in 2017. Having rejoined Dortmund from Bayern Munich the season before, Götze struggled to find form before being diagnosed with myopathy. With symptoms including muscle weakness, increased fatigue and delayed recovery time, Götze was ruled out indefinitely. After making his return, he never rose to the heights once expected of him at Dortmund.
Since leaving Germany, Götze has undergone a resurgence of sorts. Since his debut with PSV, Götze has contributed 18 goals and 18 assists across all competitions and hit the 50 appearance mark for the first time in his career.
Is Mario Gotze back?
The 2014 World Cup final hero and PSV signing makes it two goals in two games with his new club #UEL(via @UCLonCBSSports) pic.twitter.com/YcEuoF506i
— SI Soccer (@si_soccer) October 22, 2020
Mario Götze, Cucho Hernandez Among Rumored Foreign Imports
A number of other foreign players are being linked with MLS moves in addition to Götze. Watford’s Cucho Hernandez is close to a DP deal with Columbus Crew. That deal, purportedly for over $10 million, would break Columbus’ record transfer mark by over $2 million.
These purported transfers are in addition to the already completed deals for some big name players. Giorgio Chiellini, Lorenzo Insigne and Héctor Herrera have already been made official at their respective clubs.
