FC Cincinnati is reportedly close to finalizing a deal to acquire DeAndre Yedlin from Inter Miami for a sum of $172,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM). Yedlin, who has spent the previous two seasons at Inter Miami following his transfer from Turkish outfit Galatasaray, amassed a total of 80 appearances during his tenure at the recently renamed Chase Stadium.
The former Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United defender played a pivotal role in Inter Miami’s inaugural trophy triumph last season, contributing significantly to Tata Martino’s side securing the Leagues Cup.
However, with just a handful of matches into his third season with Inter, Yedlin appears poised to depart from the team led by Lionel Messi and his teammates, and join FC Cincinnati. The initial report of this transaction was disclosed by The Cincinnati Enquirer. In this deal, Miami is set to receive $172,000 in GAM. Moreover, this transfer will create substantial room in Miami’s salary budget, considering Yedlin’s estimated cap hit was $683,000.
In the interim, it is anticipated that Julian Gressel will fill the vacancy at right-back for Miami, while there are indications that Franco Escobar, a defender from the Houston Dynamo, could be a potential target for the club.
As for Yedlin, he is expected to assume the role of right wing-back within Pat Noonan’s 3-4-3 tactical setup at FC Cincinnati. The 30-year-old, who boasts 81 caps for the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT), commenced his professional career in Major League Soccer (MLS) with the Seattle Sounders before making a move to the English Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur in 2014. Following a solitary appearance for Spurs and a subsequent loan spell at Sunderland, Yedlin was eventually transferred to Newcastle United in 2016, where he enjoyed a five-year stint, featuring in 125 matches and contributing to the Magpies’ resurgence from second-tier English football to established Premier League status.