Lionel Messi loses two Argentine teammates as Inter Miami reshape roster for next MLS season
Inter Miami are set to begin their preseason tour of friendly matches in South America while also finalizing their roster for the 2026 MLS campaign. In that context, Lionel Messi has seen two fellow Argentines depart the club.
“Oscar Ustari and Inter Miami have reached an agreement to terminate his contract,” reporter Jose Armando stated on his X account. “The goalkeeper will not continue with the team in any capacity.”
Ustari joined the Herons in mid-2024 and, after serving as Drake Callender’s backup during his first few months, became heavily involved with the team starting in 2025. He appeared in 40 matches last season across MLS, the Leagues Cup, the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
However, near the end of the year, the Argentine goalkeeper lost his spot to Rocco Rios Novo, who established himself as the starter and manned the net during Inter Miami’s MLS playoffs run, which culminated in the first league title in club history.
Ahead of the 2026 season, it was initially expected that Oscar Ustari would remain with Inter Miami, even if only in a secondary role. Instead, the club moved forward with the signings of Dayne St. Clair and Luis Barraza and, in recent days, finalized Rios Novo’s return, a sequence of moves that ultimately led to Ustari’s departure.
Tomas Aviles leaves Inter Miami
Oscar Ustari’s exit was followed in recent hours by the departure of another Argentine player. “We have loaned defender Tomas Aviles to CF Montreal through the conclusion of the 2026 season,” Inter Miami announced Friday in a statement published on the club’s official website.
Aviles was one of Inter Miami’s first signings after Messi’s arrival in the summer of 2023, joining the club from Racing Club in Argentina. After playing an important role during his first year and a half in MLS, the defender saw his playing time diminish during the 2025 season. Maximiliano Falcon became the anchor of the back line, while the center back spot alongside him rotated among Aviles, Gonzalo Lujan, and Noah Allen.
For 2026, the Herons signed Brazilian defender Micael to strengthen that area of the field, further reducing Aviles’ chances of consistent playing time. At the same time, the club faced an overcrowded U-22 player pool, which could have created registration issues. As a result, the loan move to CF Montreal appears to be a beneficial solution for all parties involved.