My guess? I don't think they have room for him in the first team. And after the coach that was high on him got fired he felt his chances were even bleaker with the new coach. He probably asked to be loaned out to MLS because he thinks NYCFC is his best chance to be exposed to Guardiola and his Spanish connection which is where he wants to end up anyway.
Thought I remember reading Keaton had asked for NYCFC specifically. The quality of some of the bottom half Portuguese teams is debatably under what he’s at with NYCFC.
1. Gedson Fernandes, who placed 7th in voting for the golden boy and is a year younger than Keaton, happened. As of last week, Florentino Luis is also happening, so Keaton might not have much room on the Benfica first team from here on out. FWIW, I think Parks is very close to the level of both Gedson and Florentino, but the reality of being at a club like Benfica is that the margins between players are measured in inches: if you don't seize every opportunity for advancement, you will be replaced. 2. He couldn't go to another Portuguese club because rules implemented by the FPF this year limit the number of players that clubs in the first division can loan to other clubs in the first division. Benfica had hit that limit before Gabriel arrived at the end of the summer. Keaton could've been loaned to another LigaPro club, but the whole problem is that he's clearly too good for that level.
Florentino's promotion is probably the biggest threat to Keaton's chances of first team soccer. Incidentally, it probably means the end of Alfa Semedo's chances as well. Semedo beat Parks out for the first team backup 6 position in preseason, but they are very different players and Semedo was not a fan favorite. The truth is that in any foreign league homegrown players are going to be given advantages that Americans are not. Keaton's best chance at Benfica is to replace Samaris as the go-to rotation midfielder who can do a lot of things well. If he is a top midfielder in MLS I think that more doors will be open to him and it may be time to move. Benfica has made little investment in him as he was a free signing so they will probably accept less than their usual fees.
I think that changing representation also helped: WMG is building lots of connections in Germany and has a direct connection to CFG through Steffen. Keaton's also said in a few interviews that he wouldn't be opposed to staying in NYC, but that hinges on his performance and just how cheap Benfica want to let him go...
There's also a limit as to how many loanees Benfica can have out in Portugal and they've already got a ton of other players, most of whom will be moving on soon, on loan so Parks had to go outside the country to get a loan.
I’m Sure another factor is that if he excels, he’s got a shot at playing for the US at least in the group stage of the Gold Cup. It’s a good shop window for him and the club.
If he moves to, say, Braga for $500k with a sell-on buyback clause and establishes himself there, where's the problem? There isn't any, really. Disappointment, of course but the guy will still be way ahead of where he was when he left Varzim and still on track to be an upgrade to the MNT midfield
That's where you lose me. You're making a resume argument, which is OK. Unless we watch 20 matches a week and have no life, we have to rely a great deal on resume, what with our players spread out to so many different leagues. But I think it's inarguable that starting for RB Leipzig and Schalke is a more impressive resume line than starting for Braga. Unless you mean he upgrades our squad, in which case, maybe.
Only Berhalter knows, but it seems logical that we can see a midfield containing all 3 between McKennie, Adams and Parks
Can we please talk about freddy adu to finally get the mods to close this thread please. He is not a yank abroad.
Oh man, say his name three times in a row and @sidefootsitter might reappear - beware! Anyway, he’s still owned by a foreign club so his thread will stay here until he transfers permanently to MLS.
I was making a resume argument and that is what I meant. I should have been clearer, but why bother if you're going to do my work for me.
Keaton Parks proud to headline trend of Americans abroad moving to MLS... to sit on the bench. Still, full credit to Sands for beating him out. It's worth noting that, "Benfica were not so keen to let him go so easily" is maybe an understatement: without Keaton (and, to be fair, Florentino), Benfica B have won 3, drawn 2, and lost 7.
I think it boils down to what the coach wants and sees from him. I don't think Keaton has played badly. I believe it has to do with Park's body language that is misinterpreted by the coaching staff.
Now he's not even making the bench: 📋 | #NYCFC XI 🆚 #LAFC pic.twitter.com/W3DtIEJWDp— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) March 17, 2019 I'm starting to get pretty pessimistic... maybe he just doesn't have it and LigaPro is truly that bad.
I see it differently. Is not that he doesn't have it. I have been watching every NYCFC game this season and there is no way their midfield is more composed than Parks, no way. My guess they expect him to play a certain way and he refuses.
So your theory is Parks refuses to play a style or role that Domenec Torrent wants him to play? That doesn't bode well for him either whether one looks at it as professional development or coachability of an unproven player.
I could see this, but I don't think it's that he refuses... he's never struck me as particularly petulant (although I'm sure Varzim fans would disagree, and maybe they are right). But he definitely struggled to adapt to a certain role under Rui Vitoria, so it could just be that he's a stubborn student. The counter-point to all of this is that his role for Benfica B changed between last season and this season, and IMO he didn't lose a step despite the disappointing pre-season with the senior team. But that comes back to the quality of LigaPro... Either way, kid needs to shape up. I'm sure his parent club is unhappy with the situation.
Yea something doesn’t add up. He goes from being close to getting first team minutes with the Benfica first team, to a step back this next season, to not being good enough for NYCFC. Even some of the Benfica fans wanted to see him.