Inter Miami has signed midfielder Federico Redondo from Argentinos Juniors.
Just after challenging negotiations, the 21-yr-old, who just aided Argentina’s below-23s qualify for this summer’s Olympic Game titles in Paris, arrives on a documented $8million offer. Final week, the deal practically fell aside when Inter Miami modified the payment construction, but each clubs in the long run agreed to conditions. He joins Miami as a U22 Initiative participant and as a year-ending damage alternative for U22 Initiative participant Facundo Farías, who suffered an ACL damage through Miami’s first preseason game.
“He’s a extremely promising participant who is sharp with the ball at his toes, and demonstrates awareness out of possession,” Miami Sporting Director Chris Henderson reported. “We believe that in his prospective, but also feel he will immediately be a solid addition to our squad as we search to establish on our successes in 2024.”
Federico has a renowned last title. He’s the son of previous True Madrid, AC Milan and Argentina nationwide group star Fernando Redondo.
At Inter Miami, the young Redondo will be coached by Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, a former teammate of his father’s. They performed jointly for a person period with CD Tenerife in 1991. There is also an Argentina World Cup winner in Lionel Messi to enable him settle in, too.
Federico is a a great deal unique participant from his father, despite the fact that they share some similarities. Federico plays as a passing keeping midfielder. He’s a bit taller than his father but even now lacks the skilled-stage strength of a seasoned footballer. Federico’s contact is clean up and he performs forward each time probable. He normally takes threats with his passes in midfield to retain the ball going and involve his teammates. Early in his skilled occupation, Federico has revealed to be more cerebral than silky.
In the course of the CONMEBOL Preolímpico match with Argentina, Federico did more than just sit in room and distribute the ball. He was a established ball progressor with budding management characteristics. He will not defeat you with a move-over or a brief twitch dribble like his dad, but if the space is there in entrance of him, he’ll choose it. That ability established is probably what Martino will lean on the most.
Federico Redondo taking part in in the Copa Libertadores in August 2023 (Luis Robayo/AFP by way of Getty Visuals)
Redondo can play as a traditional No. 6 for Miami and husband or wife with Sergio Busquets or even move in for the former Barcelona player. The much more very likely state of affairs is for Redondo to occupy a No. 8 function in Martino’s 5-3-2 development, with dual attacking and defending responsibilities. About the previous calendar year, Redondo has step by step played nearer to the opponent’s intention.
If you did not see the senior Redondo at his peak, very well, you have missed out on a definitely distinctive expertise. The Argentinian, now 54, was a properly-developed central midfielder with tree-trunk thighs that could resist the continuous actual physical clashes of mid-1990s South American and European soccer.
He is deemed a famous player in Argentina — between the country’s best defensive midfielders. His still left foot and 1st contact had been elite. His tasteful dribbling, his dimension, the grunge-period hair and silky touches produced him a two-way midfielder who was forward of his time.
Potentially the most memorable Redondo highlight is a single that is nevertheless shared on social media currently. It took place 24 a long time ago at Old Trafford when Redondo was in his closing time with True Madrid. By then, Redondo, nicknamed ‘El Príncipe’ (The Prince), was considered one particular the ideal foreign signings in Authentic Madrid’s record.
😱↩️ #OTD 22 a long time in the past Fernando Redondo did THIS!
🏟️ Aged Trafford
🆚 @ManUtd #RealFootball pic.twitter.com/NBlEunVJLZ— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) April 19, 2022
With the white armband secured tightly all-around his remaining arm, Redondo turned a True Madrid counter-attack into a bold instance of crafty individual ability. On that Champions League night time in Manchester in 2000, Redondo ridiculed United’s Norwegian defender Henning Berg in a one-v-one particular in close proximity to the United penalty space.
Redondo backheeled the ball to himself, then defeat a puzzled Berg for tempo to the conclusion line, just before calmly passing the ball to a vast-open up Raul, who tapped it into an empty web. A member of Argentina’s 1994 Entire world Cup squad, Redondo’s spotlight at Old Trafford epitomized how particular a player he certainly was.
“The dude who I often preferred to prevent enjoying in opposition to was Fernando Redondo for the reason that he was far too good,” explained previous Colombia nationwide workforce hero Carlos Valderrama final calendar year. “I preferred to perform in opposition to (previous Argentina midfielder) Diego Simeone, who would kick you and struggle, or (former Argentina defender) Óscar Ruggeri. But when I experienced to experience Fernando, there was no way. Fernando was very superior. Now I have seen his son play and he as well has top quality.”
When Valderrama spoke in 2023, Federico experienced now created his Copa Libertadores debut with Argentinos Juniors, the club famous for developing Diego Maradona.
He commenced all 7 matches and, even though his figures didn’t bounce off the website page, his steady engage in and mature demeanor were being early indicators that he was not intimidated by bigger-stage competitiveness. The younger midfielder, who was born in Madrid, Spain, had also played for Argentina’s under-20 Environment Cup team that summer season.
Desire from European clubs shortly followed. AC Milan, for example, was monitoring Redondo’s development and he was joined with Liverpool.
But right after offers fell by way of for Boca Juniors winger Cristian Medina and River Plate midfielder Agustín Palavecino, Inter Miami offered a significant sum for Redondo, which include a 15 per cent provide-on rate for Argentinos Juniors.
Obviously, as each an Argentinian and a former colleague of his father, Martino is keenly informed of Federico’s household pedigree. Federico’s grandfather, Jorge Solari, was Martino and Redondo’s manager at Tenerife. Solari, like Martino, is also a Newell’s Outdated Boys legend, and the Inter Miami supervisor has explained his previous Tenerife mentor as an early coaching affect.
Federico’s uncle is Santiago Solari, the former Genuine Madrid midfielder and another former teammate of his father’s. Federico’s 29-year-outdated brother — also identified as Fernando — played professionally for Tigre in Argentina, and a cousin of his, Augusto Solari, played two seasons for Celta Vigo in Spain’s La Liga and is now enjoying for Atlas in Mexico.
Fernando Redondo at the 1994 World Cup (Christian Liewig/TempSport/Corbis by using Getty Illustrations or photos)
Federico was when compared to his father as quickly as he joined the Argentinos Juniors academy. Federico, in a collection of interviews past calendar year, spoke overtly about his father’s affect. The two talk normally about football and techniques. Federico also said that he has watched each a person of his father’s YouTube highlights to the point that he has memorized the information of each video.
“He’s the most effective No. 5 in the record of the match,” Federico explained to Sudanalytics in 2023.
Not a stunning admission, but nonetheless noteworthy taking into consideration that Federico’s Argentina under-23 mentor is Javier Mascherano. Requested by Diario Olé that identical yr if he had copied anything at all from his father’s activity, Federico explained why that’s a difficult proposition to go after.
“We’re very various players even though we enjoy in the identical placement,” Federico explained. “It’s unique eras. My father was a finish participant who dribbled forward a ton and that, in today’s football, isn’t a thing I do usually.”
Federico Redondo celebrates just after scoring towards Paraguay on February 8 (Federico Parra/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
What he has copied from his father, he stated, is the character and sense of duty that the elder Redondo shown as a experienced. “I’ve normally admired my father’s personality, to be accountable and to get on the ball during tricky matches,” Federico claimed. “He was a good leader and that would make me quite proud.”
There is no force, Federico explained, to be the son of a previous fantastic participant. Continue to, as he commences his up coming chapter with Inter Miami in MLS, Federico Redondo will stay beneath the spotlight with the obstacle of producing his have tale.
“I’m utilized to it,” Federico mentioned about the comparisons to his father. “I try out not to imagine about it. I’ve generally stated that every single participant is distinct, with their possess vocation and that’s how I’m approaching this.”
(Major photo: Marcio Machado/Eurasia Activity Photos/Getty Photos)
Read through the complete short article right here