A new chapter for Galarza Fonda
Paraguayan midfielder Matías Galarza Fonda (24 years old) has left River Plate and joined Inter Miami of Major League Soccer (MLS), where he will become a teammate of Lionel Messi. The deal was finalized in the last few hours and confirmed by sources from the Argentine club.
Galarza Fonda, who had been separated from River's first team by decision of the board, arrives at the club coached by Cristian 'Kily' González on a loan with a purchase option. The option is set at USD 3,000,000 for 50% of his transfer rights and will become mandatory if the player meets certain performance targets, such as the number of matches played.
Context at River: from arrival to being sidelined
Galarza Fonda joined River in mid-2025 from Talleres de Córdoba. During his time at the Buenos Aires club, he played 14 matches, with his last appearance on November 24, 2025, in a match against Racing in the round of 16 of the Torneo Clausura, where a mistake of his led to the team's elimination.
After that episode, the board decided to separate him from the squad, along with 13 other players. Of that list, only Fabricio Bustos and Matías Viña remain.
Recent career and time at Atlanta United
The Paraguayan played the first half of 2026 at Atlanta United, also in MLS, and participated with Paraguay's national team in the 2026 World Cup.
At Inter Miami, Galarza Fonda will reunite with sporting director Chris Henderson, who had already tracked him during his time in Atlanta.
Market moves: departures and arrivals
Galarza Fonda's arrival comes amid several moves in Argentine and American soccer. On one hand, Giuliano Galoppo was presented at Atlanta United, while Paulo Díaz terminated his contract with River and moved to Inter Miami.
Additionally, the Florida club confirmed the departure of Noah Allen (22 years old, a homegrown defender), who left on loan with a purchase option to Chicago Fire until the end of the 2026 season.
Inter Miami's next challenge
Inter Miami will host Atlanta United on Saturday, September 5 at 8:30 PM (Argentine time) at Nu Stadium. It will be a special match for Galarza Fonda, who could make his debut against his former team.
Key details of the deal
- Player: Matías Galarza Fonda (Paraguayan midfielder, 24 years old).
- Origin club: River Plate (Argentina).
- New club: Inter Miami (MLS, United States).
- Condition: Loan with purchase option of USD 3,000,000 for 50% of the transfer rights.
- Purchase option: Becomes mandatory if performance targets are met (e.g., matches played).
- Last match at River: November 24, 2025, vs. Racing (Torneo Clausura).
- Matches at River: 14 since his arrival in 2025.
- Inter Miami's next match: vs. Atlanta United, Saturday, September 5, 8:30 PM (Argentine time), at Nu Stadium.