Inter Miami has reached an agreement to acquire Mexico forward Germán Bertelame from CF Monterrey, sources said. Athletic.
According to sources, the two sides are exchanging documents regarding a proposed $15 million transfer, and the deal is expected to be finalized soon. Bertelame becomes one of the top 10 most expensive players in MLS history.
Before Miami moved forward with signing Bertelame, the club toured potential targets to see what kind of deal was possible. As is often the case in Miami, the club made a major effort in its search.
Miami has launched an aggressive bid worth about $13 million for LAFC star Dennis Bouanga, a person briefed on the matter says. Athletic. LAFC immediately rejected the offer, but Bouanga had no intention of leaving.
Bouanga is seeking a new contract with LAFC, the source added. The player’s contract runs until 2027, with a club option for 2028, and LAFC insist he will stay for the long term.
Bouanga is one of the best players in MLS, scoring at least 20 regular season goals in each of the past three seasons.
The 31-year-old joined LAFC in the summer of 2022. He hit his stride just before scoring the goal that won the club the Supporters’ Shield that season, and then played his best in the club’s play-offs, which ended with Bouanga and his teammates winning the MLS Cup.
The Gabonese winger is the league’s 19th highest-paid player in 2025, with $3.7 million guaranteed in compensation, according to the MLS Players Association. Bouanga finished third in MLS MVP voting last year, won the 2023 MLS Golden Boot Award (while also finishing second in MVP voting), and has been named to the MLS Best Eleven in each of the past three seasons.
Dennis Bouanga (right) teams up with Son Heung-min to form MLS’s top attacking partnership (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, 27-year-old Belterrame has long been one of Liga MX’s better forwards, arriving in Mexico from Argentina with San Luis in 2019 and joining Monterrey in 2022. Since joining the club, he has scored 68 goals and provided 15 assists for Los Rayados.
He scored 27 goals in 2025 in all competitions, including three goals in the FIFA Club World Cup. He continued to score goals in 2026, scoring two goals for leaders Monterrey in the Clausura’s first three games.
It’s been a busy winter for Miami as the club transitions from the Lionel Messi 1.0 era to the 2.0 era. Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba have retired, leaving two DP spots open. Rodrigo de Paul’s loan has now become a permanent deal for a fee worth around $17 million, the third highest in MLS history, and Bertelame will soon join him in the third DP spot.
Miami has already signed current MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and Canadian international Dane St. Clair this winter. They also signed a deal to keep on-loan winger Tadeo Allende from Celta Vigo on a permanent basis – crucially doing so without Allende becoming a DP – and acquired Brazilian centre-back Mikael on loan from Palmeiras and midfielder David Ayala in a trade with the Portland Timbers.
Earlier this winter, Miami acquired former Tottenham left-back Sergio Reguilon and Argentine right-back Facundo Mura on free transfers.