ESPN reported that Miami International is negotiating with Atletico Madrid to sign De Paul. George Mas, one of the team's owners, traveled to Madrid to start negotiations between the two sides in an attempt to bring the Argentine midfielder to the MLS.

In order to sign DePaul, Miami International may need to release a designated player quota, currently occupied by Messi, Alba and Busquets respectively. Alba recently renewed his contract with the club until the end of the 2027 MLS season, but Messi and Busquets' contract expires in December. According to ESPN sources, contract negotiations between Messi and the club are still in progress, and both sides hope to continue to cooperate after 2025. Busquets and the club have not started negotiations on a new contract, and the club's door to the players is still open.

Interest in DePaul stems from Maas's recent commitment, who vows to do everything necessary and possible to keep Miami International at the highest level of competition. He said: "We hope to bring a group of star players because we are not just satisfied with one star. Have we determined the candidates for these players? Yes, it's not just about the Major League Soccer, but about being the best team in the half-field, including South and Central America, not just our Central and North American and Caribbean Football Association-wide teams."

Meanwhile, according to ESPN sources, Atletico Madrid is willing to sell the Argentine midfielder this summer if DePaul refuses to sign a contract extension with Atletico Madrid in the coming weeks. However, the same source pointed out that Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone opposes DePaul's departure because he believes DePaul is a key player in the team.

DePaul has only one year left in the contract, and Atletico Madrid hopes to avoid his free transfer in the summer of 2026. Miami International reportedly hopes to convince the Argentine teammate to join the FC through Messi's attractiveness. However, even if the two clubs have a good relationship, Miami will find it difficult to meet Atletico Madrid's transfer fee requirements for De Paul.

DePaul's potential departure will cause trouble for Simeone, and he needs to find a midfielder with similar abilities. According to ESPN, if DePaul leaves this summer, Valencia midfielder Xavi Gra will be one of the replacements, who was close to joining Atletico Madrid last summer. Another source noted that DePaul's departure could have a medium-term impact on the team as he was close to fellow Alvarez in the locker room.

Atletico Madrid has introduced midfielder Alex Bena from Villarreal and signed left-back Matteo Rugeri from Atlanta. In addition, they signed defender Lenglet and goalkeeper Juan Musso permanently. Atletico Madrid is expected to announce the signing of Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso this weekend. The signing announcement was postponed as Cardoso represented the U.S. national team in the Golden Cup.