Not a 2019 flavor, but highly likely to be a strong contender for 2020 flavor: http://phillysoccerpage.net/2019/01/23/breaking-bethlehem-signs-academy-center-back-ofeimu/
Ike Opara just got dealt in a BIG move to Minnesota United, wow, 1 million allocation. https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019...referral&utm_content=news&utm_campaign=unpaid
Minnesota United has no direction other than to not embarrass themselves after that's what they did to begin their MLS existence.
Sporting KC signed Andreu Fontas last season from Celta de Vigo to one of the few $1+ million contracts for a defender in the entire league, yet Besler and Opara kept him glued to the bench. If KC was going to give Fontas a chance, then Opara was the likely loser as his cheaper contract would attract clubs like Minnesota.
true, getting a DP level center back should help mitigate the high scoreline fears, assuming he stays healthy. Pretty nasty on corner kicks and set pieces on the other end too if given opportunity to roam
That's the going rate for USMNT-caliber CB right now...………………. American CB's traded in MLS1) Zimmerman (24) - $900k in assets ($500k GAM + #1 allocation)2) Tim Parker (25) - $900k in assets ($500k TAM + Int'l slot + Felipe)3) Ike Opara (29) - $900k TAMIts pretty consistent if you ask me. Also somebody give Aaron Long a raise.— Tutul Rahman (@tutulismyname) January 29, 2019
Good business for SKC. We see this every couple of years. All of the CB's who come and go from SKC play much worse when they leave SKC. Playing next to potentially the best defender in the league's history can make you look better than you are.
Ike Opara's been a stud no matter who he's played next to in his career. He's just about to turn 30, has had a series of injuries, and the team acquiring has s**t talent. So it's a head-scratcher from that standpoint.
This is a win-win. Opara is the type of player that Minnesota desperately needed. If this was a Euro transfer would we think of 1 million as some outrageous fee? No. Opara also demanded a pay raise a couple of months ago to a level that SKC couldn't afford. He was already on $340k, so he was asking for DP money. And that quite frankly is understandable. He's a critical piece that has performed at a very high level for them. Besler and Zusi are both on $750k. Roger Espinoza is on $900k. The list goes on. In a perfect world I'm sure SKC would have loved to hold onto Opara. In a salary capped world, though, tough decisions like this need to be made. They couldn't do it, so they found a club willing to take him on. The downside for SKC is that they have CCL games imminently. So now you go into that with a little bit of a question mark in terms of the CB pairing.
SKC spent all that money on a CB who couldn't displace Opara. Shifting him isn't a win, but rather minimization of a failed decision. The most chronic problem for SKC has been their under-investment in the leftback position.
Funny comment from The Athletic's[paywall] poll of 15 players on the upcoming CBA negotiations. It coincide's with public perceptions of which teams treat the players well. https://theathletic.com/794244/2019/01/31/mls-cba-negotiations-2020/
Maybe Red Bulls' model being successful with their subsidiary in the same town will wake up City Group. Because Adams may well end up a player Red Bull can sell for 70 million...possibly to Man City themselves. And they acquired him practically for free. Free Lewis, Sands, Scally, Reyna, etc. See what they have at a respectable level early enough so they'll have demand in Europe and potential to do big things for the parent club. NYCFC would likely make the playoffs anyway. The former is worth a lot more monetarily and competitively anyway. So far all they've done is cull quality domestics away from a more functional club for development. Where would Lewis and Sands be at right now if they were in the NYRB catchment area?
A source with direct knowledge of the situation says there is a path for Jonathan Lewis to be a full #USMNT regular if he gets regular minutes at the club level. They said there are multiple MLS teams that are ready to give him those minutes if #NYCFC does not.— christian 🍉 (@CEAraos) February 3, 2019 If I'm Lewis, I push for a trade to one of those clubs before the season. He's been patient enough with NYCFC already, and they've shown no reason to be trusted. They can prove they've wised up with better treatment of their younger domestics who have a little time left before they're not considered prospects anymore in Europe, and they haven't jerked around for long. Just crossing the river to NYRB would be ideal. They've had a dearth of a-mids for a while. They're strong everywhere else.
there are maybe 3-4 clubs in MLS that Lewis would not walk into their starting 11, he needs to be starting, certainly.
Philadelphia or NYRB would be great destinations for Lewis. Don't know if NYC would let him go within the Conference. Saucedo is another young impact player who needs more minutes.
Terrence Boyd to TFC is official. Normally Id be the Trump guy screaming "NOOOOOOO" at any US player going to TFC , but This is one of those rare occasions i think its beneficial for both sides. For example, if it was Pulisic, McKinnie, Adams, Sargent, someone like that......2/3rds of this board would rightfully be on suicide watch after what they did to Bradley and Altidore. But Boyd.......coming off some serious injuries, he needs someone willing to take a chance on him. Lets see what happens.
Players abroad I wish would come to MLS: Julian Green Andrew Wooten Jann George Ashton Gotz Emo Hyndman Mukwalle Akale Marlon Fossey Joe Gyau McKenzie Gaines Isaiah Young Gedion Zelalem Danny Williams Tim Tillman (loan) Luca de la torre (loan) Matt Olosunde (Loan) Kyle Scott Desevio Payne
Darlington Nagbe is the big newsmaker of the last 24 hours. He's apparently been absent from the early part of preseason training camp for Atlanta and wants a trade to Columbus to join his previous manager, Caleb Porter. I'd guess that Nagbe also wants to bump his $620K salary closer to $1 million, as he's in the last year of his current contract. https://www.dirtysouthsoccer.com/20...t=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter This also has U.S. implications. I sort of assumed that Nagbe skipped Camp Cupcake to prepare for CCL, but this news instead suggests that Nagbe does not start 2019 in Berhalter's plans.
You're right. With US training camp beginning on January 7 and Atlanta United beginning their preseason on January 14, however, it only would have gained Nagbe one extra week of rest. https://www.atlutd.com/post/2019/01/19/photos-best-2019-preseason-week-1 As seen in the pictures above at the end of the first week, Guzan was already back in camp with the rest of the squad.
Odd? I was completely unsurprised. Nagbe is all about being comfortable and making money. He doesn't go to USMNT call ups he doesn't want to. He doesn't play defense in anyway physically taxing. He is comfortable dribbling the ball in the middle of the field and making safe passes. He is not comfortable driving at a defense and making a forward line splitting pass, so he rarely does it. Porter probably asks very little from him and if he can get paid he will go.