Inter Miami defender Harvey Neville is reportedly on trial with the Portland Timbers, with former Herons manager Phil Neville eager to reunite with his son.
The 21-year-old defender is currently with the Western Conference side for the start of pre-season, with the Timbers appointing Neville as their new head coach ahead of the 2024 MLS season.
The former England Women’s manager had a mixed time at Inter Miami, with Neville sacked before the arrival of Lionel Messi as Tata Martino took over from the 47-year-old coach.
And now, according to the Athletic, Neville’s son, Harvey, is on trial with the Timbers, with the defender not named in Inter Miami’s pre-season squad for this month.
Given the obvious family connection between the defender and the Timbers manager, there’s a strong chance that Neville will be heading to Portland to reunite with his father.
And for Inter Miami, they will be accepting of the trade, especially with Neville only making 15 senior appearances for the Herons since coming through the Florida side’s second team.
Harvey Neville to the Portland Timbers makes sense for Inter Miami
Nepotism is a powerful tool in soccer, with famous names often heading into big positions in the game that otherwise should have gone to more qualified individuals.
And Inter Miami’s Neville heading to the Timbers could be just one such example, with the 21-year-old yet to really prove that he has the quality to become a superstar in MLS.
With his father heading to the west coast this off-season, it makes sense why Neville is now on trial in Portland and potentially set to sign for the TImbers.
And for Inter Miami, a deal to take the defender to Oregan would make a lot of sense, particularly given the direction Martino is now taking the Florida franchise.