Reports have surfaced announcing Benjamin Cremaschi’s permanent departure from Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami to continue his career in the Italian Serie A. Benjamin Cremaschi was one of the young players who witnessed Inter Miami‘s transformation into one of MLS’s marquee franchises following the arrival of Lionel Messi, having come through the club’s own academy. Now, his chapter with the Herons appears to be drawing to a close, with reports indicating he is set to make a permanent move to Serie A.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Parma are set to trigger the €4 million, approximately $4.65 million, purchase option included in the loan deal arranged last summer. With Cremaschi due to return to Fort Lauderdale, the Italian club has decided to make the arrangement permanent.
Having made his Inter Miami debut in February 2023 against CF Montréal, Cremaschi developed into one of the club’s most promising homegrown products, navigating an eligibility decision between the Argentina and United States national teams before ultimately committing to the USMNT. Across his time with the Herons, he has accumulated 107 appearances, scoring eight goals and registering nine assists, placing him fifth on the all-time appearances list just ahead of Messi’s 104 games, though Messi is expected to surpass that mark soon.
When Messi first arrived at Inter Miami, Cremaschi was candid about what the moment meant to him in an interview with CBS Sports: “I grew up watching him play, watching a lot of Argentina players play, and now I can share the field and the day-to-day life with such a player it’s something I can’t describe. When I knew he was coming to the club I wasn’t really nervous but the first time I saw him in the locker room, which is where I met him I was really nervous, obviously shaking his hand. That was a really nerve-wracking moment.“
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami celebrates scoring with teammate Benjamin Cremaschi.
Under Javier Mascherano, however, Cremaschi began to lose his footing in the first team, deployed across multiple positions including winger and left back with little predictability. He famously told a press conference, “I go to matches and I have no idea where I will play,” a statement that spoke volumes about his situation and ultimately set the stage for his loan move to Parma.
His first season in European football proved more difficult than anticipated, with Cremaschi managing just 215 minutes across nine appearances before suffering a left lateral meniscus tear in March. Despite the setback, Parma, who secured their Serie A survival, have shown enough faith in the 21-year-old to make the move permanent.
Inter Miami freeing up space to land Casemiro
With Mascherano’s dismissal and Guillermo Hoyos now in the dugout, a return for Cremaschi to Inter Miami had not been entirely out of the question. However, with the permanent transfer now confirmed, the move does more than simply resolve his future; it opens up room in the squad and provides a financial boost that could help facilitate the club’s reported pursuit of Casemiro.
Inter Miami currently hold one available international roster slot and only a modest amount in General Allocation Money to work with. As a homegrown academy product, the Herons received the €4 million sale fee without having to pay a transfer fee to any other club, meaning Cremaschi’s departure represents a meaningful step toward funding the signing of the Brazilian midfielder, who is expected to join as a free agent following his departure from Manchester United.