Mpoku is a 26 yr old who represented Belgium YNTs until he realized he wasnt at that level, and switched to Congo were he has 6 goals in 10 appearances. He did not score across 6 CL/EL appearances, and has 6 goals and 3 assists in the Belgian top division, playing mostly as a RW (and their captain) this year. He has started 15 of their 21 games, with the 6 missed due to rest or injury. Hes played at a top level primarily as a starter for going on 8 years now, primarily for Liege in Belgium but also with short stops in Greece and Italy that were of mixed quality. Would be a strong signing if they got him.
this is what I like to see, Revs opening up a check book. Alas this will go down as another "we were really really close but could not get the deal done"
This is a fork-in-the-road moment. Here is a situation where they did "everything right" to spend money on a high-quality player, but it just didn't happen, through no fault of their own. So which path do they take right now? Do they take that money that they would have spent and go out and get another similar player? Or do they shrug their collective shoulders and say, "welp, we tried" and call it a day? We all hope it's the first, but with other situations like being burned on Jerry Bengston, when he was absolutely the "right" kind of player (even f he didn't pan out), they punted.
Atlanta's options for getting down to three Designated Players January 15, 2019, 6:53PM EST Sam Stejskal LAG and ATL currently have 4 DPs. The Revs currently have none.
https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/stoke-city-transfer-news-bojan-2448342 "Bojan is a wanted man. The Stoke City playmaker is reported to be the subject of a £50,000-a-week offer from ambitious MLS outfit New England Revolution… and the Potters are ready to let him leave for nothing." ...and there it is. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the first time in recorded history that the words "ambitious" and "New England Revolution" have ever been used together.
Thats £2.6M a year, which is $3.35M. Thats JJ money for a guy playing in the championship (i know Stoke just got relegated, but they arent in danger of going back up)
I worry that all of these rumors about European players are only that. Rumors. There is a part of me that has a hard time believing that the Revolution, and the Krafts and Burns in particular, have legitimately changed their ways and are actually truly this active this year. If they truly are, that's all good, and surprising at the same time. If they aren't actually active in the European market, well, all credit to them for having engineered a number of stories that have gotten traction in the press. That has probably provided them with some needed air cover, given that air cover was running pretty thin at this point. And that's a more complex and daring campaign then these guys seem to have been capable of in the past. So, have to give them credit for an increase in "devious capabilities" over prior seasons, if this is the case. In any case, it will be interesting to see where this all lands.
Interesting blip in the Twitterverse regarding Diego's status. 1087090598555860992 is not a valid tweet id
Armchair Analyst: One big question for the New England Revolution A Big Question: Do they have the horses to press? https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/01/01/roster-build-ne
Informa @CorunaDeportiva que Carles Gil podría estar viviendo sus últimas horas como jugador del @RCDeportivo para poner rumbo a la @MLS para recalar en el New England Revolution (@NERevolution) pic.twitter.com/BWTFnYhqIC— Aldo Vázquez 🍍 (@Aldo_Vazquez1) January 21, 2019 Spanish radio station saying Gil to the Revs has happened
So if Gil is coming and they somehow manage to land Bojan I think the team offensively will be better even if Diego leaves. This real issue I see is that the team is in trouble if they go into the season with only 3 Center backs. Marcienne, Delamea and Anibaba. They need someone better than Anibaba. Someone that will push Delamea for starting minutes. God help this team is Anibaba is named starter at the start of the season. You could probably find 10 guys in USL that are better
Someone needs to push Mancienne too. He didn't really "wow" us with his 2018 performances, highest paid defender or not.
I agree but I give him the benefit of the doubt for coming in late and playing with new players he is unfamiliar with. That said come March there are no excuses. he better play like a million dollar defender
There's no doubt we should have more depth and competition on the roster and at that position, specifically, but ... ... it seems like your comment implies that motivation was a problem. I never sensed that from what I saw.
I'm wondering if Bojan was the backup plan and/or if the recent rumors were meant to give Deportivo a nudge in getting the Gil deal done. Their response of we'll move him when we have a replacement wasn't really an acceptable way of doing transfer business. IOW, if you are negotiating a transfer/release of a player, you should have gotten your own business done already (rather than link this deal to some vague, ambiguous future deal).
Diego Fagundez confirmed @Nacional interest. Said @NERevolution turned down offer.— Frank Dell'Apa (@frankdellapa) January 22, 2019
Diego Fagundez looks to leave New England as Revolution decline offer https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019...ks-leave-new-england-revolution-decline-offer Fagundez gave an interview with Sport 890 in which he said he's "doing as much as I can" to force his way out of New England Will be very interesting how Friedel handles this after last year. Why do I have a bad feeling??
Taylor weighs in: Fagundez stating he wants out of NE isn’t a surprise but what people don’t know is his “representation” did him so wrong by resigning again & again for “small money” that it limits any leverage he had. #NERevs #MLS https://t.co/CWGZwtRqfm— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) January 22, 2019
Here is my question back to Taylor: Why would it be NO surprise that Diego wants out of NE? That sounds like there is something more going on?
Hmmmm, I didn’t intend to imply it was a motivation problem. Did mean to imply that I hope he proves he is worth the highest defender salary in 2019.