Inter Miami signs defender Gonzalo Lujan, goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo. Callender hurt.

Inter Miami continued to fill out its 2025 roster on Thursday with the signing of Argentine defender Gonzalo Lujan and Argentine American goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo.

Lujan, 23, comes from Argentine top-flight club San Lorenzo, where he made 97 appearances. He signed a contract through the 2027 season with an option for 2028. He also has played 15 matches for the Argentina Under-23 team and was on the 2024 Argentine Olympic team under first-year Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano.

“Bringing in a young and versatile defender like Gonzalo Luján will be important for the upcoming 2025 season,” said Inter Miami president of football operations Raul Sanllehi. “He provides our First Team squad with quality depth and reinforces our defensive unit, while his versatility will be a valuable asset as he can perform in several positions across the back line.”

The club also signed Rios Novo, who was claimed via the MLS waiver protocol on a one-year loan from Argentine side Club Atlético Lanús through the 2025 season, with an option to make the transfer permanent at the conclusion of the loan. He reinforces the team’s goalkeeping unit, pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC).

His signing comes at the perfect time, as starter Drake Callender has been away with the U.S. national team and suffered a minor muscle injury that forced him to leave camp and return to Inter Miami for further evaluation and treatment. Callender will be unavailable for the preseason game Saturday in Las Vegas against Mexican champion Club America.

“Incorporating a young up-and-coming goalkeeper like Ríos Novo helps add depth to our competitive goalkeeping department. His signing bolsters our squad as we prepare for an exciting 2025 season competing in several competitions both domestically and internationally,” said President of Football Operations Raúl Sanlleh.

Ríos Novo, 22, spent the last two seasons with Phoenix Rising of the USL Championship, on loan from Lanús. At the club level, the young goalkeeper has all of his competitive appearances in the United States, playing in competitions such as MLS, USL Championship and the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

A native of Los Angeles with Argentine roots, Ríos Novo began his career in the youth ranks of Lanús. At 18, he was loaned to Atlanta United 2 and later played with the first team.

Lujan, who is 5-11 and plays center back and fullback, said: “It is a privilege to be able to join a top organization like Inter Miami. I’m excited to begin this new stage in my career and will work hard to help my teammates and the club have a successful 2025 season.”

Lujan and Rios Novo are the third and fourth players with Argentine roots to sign with Inter Miami in the past 48 hours. On Wednesday, the club re-signed goalkeeper Óscar Ustari to a one-year contract through the 2025 season. The 38-year-old, a friend and former Olympic teammate of Lionel Messi’s, spent the last few months of the 2024 season with Inter Miami.

Also joining Inter Miami was forward Tadeo Allende, who comes on a one-year loan from Spanish LaLiga club Celta de Vigo through the end of 2025.

Both Ustari and Allende are awaiting visa paperwork and may not be available for the first preseason game Saturday in Las Vegas against Mexican champion Club America (10 p.m.).