I thought we should have a forum based purely on speculation and suggestions. MLS is a league that recruits from a whole host of countries so be creative with your recommendations! (Heck, L'Impact just signed an unknown Brazilian who was play in the Swiss second division)
I'll start (most of my recommendations will be players from National Teams in the AFC) Mohammed-Reza Khalatbari Just released by Qatari club Al-Gharafa, so he is available on a free. Heavily linked with Perespolis. Very energetic winger/wide forward, excellent pace and skill on the ball. No transfer fee would have to be paid but I'd expect he would demand a six-figure salary, at which could be cutting it a little close with the cap (unless Ching is offloaded). [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmNC9gbWrCw&feature=related"]Khalatbari - Iran's top player - YouTube[/ame]
My blue-print: Ligue 1, Ligue 2 and players from French-speaking African nations: Morocco, Camaroon, Cote d'ivoire, Togo, Niger, Senegal.
I'll present what I know, Ajax players who will likely be out of contract: GK Jeroen Verhoeven (Netherlands) CB Andre Ooijer (Netherlands) RB Bruno Silva (Uruguay) ST Dimitri Bulykin (Russia)
We can all dream. I know I'd enjoy them. However, I would assume Aron Winter @ TFC will be taking a hard look at them before we did.
Yep I only mentioned it because of how he has brought Javier Martina and Danny Koevermans to Toronto. There are other names on their way out I thought might be less realistic like Mounir El Hamdaoui & Ismail Aissati. Mounir is a total headcase and Ismail will probably find himself a good club.
I don't see El Ham or Aissati moving to MLS at all. Aissati is on the same level as Zakaria Labyad, perhaps further ahead. El Ham is one of the better strikers in a very poor league with almost no quality upfront. I think an average player on an Eredivisie team is a very realistic goal as a DP.
How about Zlatan Muslimovic? He is currently a free agent and is younger than some of the strikers that were rumored of signing.
His strike-rate isn't very good IMO. I don't know much about him, maybe he's more of a CF or SS, than #9. But last time he had a respectable strike-rate it was Rimini where he was 2 games per 1 goal....PAOK was 7 games per 1 goal...that's awful.
I would have to agree about the goals per game ratio- I have only seen him in action with Bosnia and although he wasn't bagging goals in bunches he was a very useful player. I don't know if that would translate to a different side playing completely different formation/tactics. Interesting name to consider, though.
I'm a little biased here but we do need another CB- I am surprised that Omar Jarun has never latched on with a team in MLS. Every match I've seen him play with Palestine he has been excellent. I had a conversation with Grant Wahl (whilst he was covering Palestine's World Cup campaign) and he agreed that he would be a good fit in MLS. Was previously with the Whitecaps in the USL (where he won the title), played briefly with the Rowdies before returning to Poland with Arka Gdynia. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIvlU-0vsaw"]Omar Jarun - 2008 Highlights - YouTube[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3Jdc6CJMv8"]omar jarun highlights Pogon Szczecin 2010 - YouTube[/ame]
Martina is now available, I think TFC waived him. Weird, because I thought he worked out rather well for them over the season, all things considered.
At times he got on Winter's bad side because of not following instructions.. seems a bit of a head case.. misses a chance or two and sulks the rest of the game kind of thing. 'Now you see him, now you don't.' Has a lot of talent.. great first touch .. ignores teammates mostly and runs with the ball until somebody takes it off him..
Montreal Impact rumored to be chasing the services of Adrian Mutu: http://www.football-italia.net/17455/mutu-join-montreal-impact
I think he could be a good addition if he is willing to actually commit himself to the cause. Obviously, that's one big 'if'. I really liked Mutu while he was at Fiorentina- probably the closest he came to meeting his vast potential (also led Romania to their first major tournament since Euro 2000 during that time period) but I think it could be a very risky move. He'll probably end up following the money (he's on the hook for 17 million Euros, owed to Chelsea)- China, the Gulf, or Anzhi are more likely prospects.
Potential Bosman/DP Signings (assuming we're going for a striker): Raul (Schalke 04)- Has yet to sign 1-year contract extension Didier Drogba (Chelsea) Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus) Michael Owen (Manchester United) Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United) Ivica Olic (Bayern Munich) Claudio Pizarro (Werder Bremen) Ruud van Nistelrooy (Malaga CF) Frederic Kanoute (Sevilla) Raul Tamudo (Rayo Vallecano) Andrija Delibasic (Rayo Vallecano) Ireneusz Jelen (Lille)
Delibasic, Tamudo and Jelen are terrible players, especially Delibasic. Owen is a broken man and Olic does not fit the profile that we need upfornt (Braun, Fucito are the same type of player). The rest would probably not come to MtL. If this team wants try and sign a good player that will realistically be willing to come here they need to look beyond the big 5 leagues. Hell, we found Felipe in the Swiss second division, and he has proven to be one of our best this year. On that note, Pantelic's contract with Olympiacos is expiring this summer. He fits the exact profile we need at forward but I doubt our FO will make a move for him, or that they even realize that he exists.
Pantelic was great at Ajax for a season but he wanted a big contract extension and Ajax let him move on.
I don’t know why but I always picture Inzaghi with a MTL Jersey he would be a good addition for the remainder of the season
The offseason starts today! Let's fire this bad boy up again. Our needs are: 1- A reliable defender who can last 30+ games a season (MLS experience preferred) 2- A creative, goal scoring midfielder 3- Striker 4- Left Back
Saputo sees no 2 as the priority, and I agree. #3 depends on the teams conclusion of the Wenger situation. A $300k replacement of Mapp's salary can go very far. I never expected the defense to change, and yesterday confirmed it. I think we can do well with Ferarri as CB, with Nesta and Rivas alternating and starting ~17 games each. This assumes reliable FB's. The upcoming Italy tour should show us and the team whether Brovsky, Vanentin and Ouimette can truly fill that space.
Any thoughts on Ouimette? Obviously he is a young kid, and still has a lot of growing, but I'd be lying if I said I knew much about him. As the first player signed out of the Academy, I'm excited to watch him grow, but I'd be lying if I said I could remember seeing him play. I know he's played 66 minutes with the Impact, but that's about as far as my exposure to him goes. Hard to develop an opinion.
Yeah, same here. That's why i'm pretty excited about this Italy trip. This season was a pretty poor one as far as developing younger players goes. Hopefully we will see better next week and going forward.
I'm interested in anyone 25 and under who may have been developed differently than the current national team anyway. After recent events, its clear Canada needs an overhaul. I think players coming out ofthte academy and into their own will be important for the future of Canadian soccer. Obviously a change in development is needed, and maybe the academy programs will be that change. The Impact are taking 5 U21 players to Italy. It'll be fun to watch these young guys as well. "Goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau, defender Maxim Tissot, midfielders Wandrille Lefevre and Zakaria Messoudi, along with forward Mircea Ilcu will travel with the team." http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2012/11/roster-update-25-players-make-trip-italy