Harvey Neville played for Inter Miami’s feeder team this season
Inter Miami manager Phil Neville has cut 10 players from his playing squad after failing to reach the play-offs, while also promoting his teenage son Harvey to the first team.
The American side – who are co-owned by England legend David Beckham – failed to qualify for the MLS play-offs this season, with Neville reportedly ‘locked in brutal meetings’ over the future of his players after an underwhelming campaign.
Miami confirmed that George Acosta, Ventura Alvarado, Dylan Castanheira, Jay Chapman, Sami Guediri, Kelvin Leerdam, John McCarthy, Josh Penn, Patrick Seagrist and Victor Ulloa had all been cut from the squad.
The club also announced that Federico Higuain, Brek Shea and Indiana Vassilev’s would not have their contracts extended.
However, former Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuan – who earns around £5.2m a year – will remain at the club for another 12 months, with ex-England defender Ryan Shawcross also set to feature in Neville’s squad next season.
Neville also revealed that his son – Harvey – would be promoted to the first-team ahead of the 2022 season after impressing with Inter Miami’s feeder team, Fort Lauderdale – who operate in USL League One.
The 19-year-old made 21 appearances for Lauderdale in USL One, registering one assist, as per Transfermarkt.
Away days with #InterMiamiCF ✈️
Players Noah Allen, Harvey Neville and George Acosta joined the first team on their last match of the 2021 MLS season. #FortLauderdaleCF continues to provide a pathway to develop talent for the club and opportunities for our players. pic.twitter.com/rI3qPZgE8i
— Inter Miami CF II (@Intermiamicfii) November 8, 2021
The news of Harvey’s promotion to the senior squad comes after he traveled with the first-team to their final game of the season against New England on November 7, where he was joined by Fort Lauderdale team-mates Noah Allen and George Acosta.
His move up to Inter Miami will see Harvey leave behind Beckham’s son, Romeo, who also plays for Fort Lauderdale.
Speaking about his son’s achievements this season, Neville said: “He’s done well and although he has a lot of development to do, he is part of a group of eight to 10 players who we want to get involved with the MLS team.
“He is only young. There are ups and downs and many challenges ahead but he just has to keep up his attitude.
“We are a club which needs to produce its own players and we want to get this group on the pitch as soon as we can.”
Neville has blamed a salary cap imposed on Miami for the ‘brutal’ player cuts, stating ‘that is a situation I’ve never experienced in club football in Europe’.
The salary cap – which is in place for the next two years – has been imposed after the club violated MLS roster rules in the 2020 campaign.
Therefore, the franchise – which had the league’s most expensive payroll of $17.8million (£13.21m) in the 2021 season – have been required to cut a number of players in order to make signings in the upcoming transfer windows.
Related links:
- David Beckham tells Inter Miami boss Phil Neville to be ‘particularly hard’ on son Romeo
- David Beckham says Phil Neville got Miami job on merit, not because they were friends
- David Beckham’s son Romeo makes debut for Inter Miami’s reserve team
