Inter Miami CF has signed winger Robert Taylor to a two-year contract extension through the 2026 Major League Soccer season, with an additional club option for 2027.
The player first arrived ahead of the 2022 campaign from Norwegian top-flight team SK Brann, and has since become one of only two players in club history to reach the 100--appearance milestone. He's also managed 16 goals and 19 assists overall in his career at Miami, standing behind Lionel Messi in the record for most club assists.
Taylor continues to be an integral part of the team under head coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino, in the new era of the club.
"While I've been here, we've gone through ups and downs a lot," Taylor told ESPN. "First year I was here we made the playoffs but then we got knocked out first round which was really disappointing and then the next year we didn't even make the playoffs but we won the Leagues Cup.
"So it's been a lot of ups and downs and now that we're doing well actually we can't be satisfied yet with the way we've been playing because we haven't won anything yet."
The winger has seen the Herons evolve into a star-studded team that garners worldwide attention, with the arrival of Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
Taylor labeled the new attention "an honor," inspiring the players to be at their best at all times.
"I don't think the attention has affected me in a bad way in any way," he told ESPN. "I think it's only been positive. I love that. The more people watch us play, the more honored you feel. And when you feel that people are watching you, it's a great feeling.
"You know, we know we sell out the stadium and then we know that there's a lot more people watching it online than there used to be," he said. "So it makes everyone be on the top of their games even more.
"And there's expectations that we need to also hit now that we have all the players that we have. So I think everyone's like, you can see in the results, we're all stepping up our games."
Inter Miami have a new chance to prove themselves when kicking off the 2024 Leagues Cup tournament on Saturday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, against Liga MX team Puebla.
The reigning champions will be without Messi, however, as Martino confirmed he's "improving every day" but still unavailable due to the ankle injury suffered during the Copa América final.
The forward did not train with the team, and said he remains "frustrated" at his lack of involvement.
Suárez may also be on the sidelines against Puebla, due to inflammation around his knee. His inclusion in the roster will be a last-minute decision.