Being MLK day, and lazily flipping through channels at home, I came across a TyC Sports (Argie channel) program reporting that MLS had made an offer for Marcelo Gallardo, and that was the main reason he would not join San Lorenzo in the Argentine league... It was the very end of his report, so no club names were given, but he sounded as if this was almost a done deal.... Any news on this?
Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio is headed back to South America on Tuesday on his quest to sign some offensive-minded midfielders. He is headed to Colombia and is expected to also visit Argentina. http://www.soccerbyives.typepad.com/
There had been some talk of Gallardo to DC a couple weeks ago, not long after Veron. But at the time it was thought sort of unrealistic. Also, I notice a sudden revival of the "Christian Gomez to Colorado" rumor, so there could be a connection there.
I just read this on Clarin.com (Argentina's most circulated newspaper). No specifics, but it looks like a "done deal". Then again, how many "done deals" have fallen through??? http://www.clarin.com/diario/2008/01/21/um/m-01590361.htm
According to supergol.com.ar he has ended his contract with PSG and will move to MLS. no team was mentioned as a destination... But Gallardo is on his way to MLS according to San Lorenzo executives.... MLS was compared to a retirement league by San Lorenzo excutives mad at Gallardos no to San Lorenzo... My question if MLS is a retirement league why are so many Argentine teams hot on siging retiring players like Gallardo and Barros Schellotto?
Well..it could fall through..ala Veron..but the rumor must be true to the extent that unless there is a change in mind..Gallardo is coming to MLS..anyone looking for a #10?.--this guy is legit..not only did he wear the #10 for River..but he has played #10 for Argentina..often, however, he was the direct substitute for Ariel Ortega. Not even Barros Schelloto has had the international career that Gallardo has had. I am wondering if we have had a better Argentine signing..anyone? Not a rhetorical question...can´t think of a higher profile Argentine..
Houston would gladly take him if Jo and Nate don't come back. PLus, we could always do with some Latin flare.
plus the big wheel with all the MLS teams on it that they spin to try and add something to a report so that it doesn't look like they are pulling stuff completely out of their asses.
Another note San Lorenzo, (ARG) was offering a year contract for 850K and 2.5 million option to buy his players rights. PSG's contract was 700000 Euros per season, plus percks. Al Saad, club from Qatar, offered 4mill bucks for his player rights and 3 year contract 1mill bucks a season, he turned down. He decided with his agent to go to US instead. Highlights from discussion this morning at Radio La Red, ARG, with Martin Liberman. and Marcelo Gallardo.
Wow, he was getting paid at PSG and San Lorenzo was offering money too. As was the team from Qatar, but I could see why a player would turn that down. I'm wondering what MLS could or have offered for Gallardo?
You would have to assume that given what Gallardo was offered by the Middle Eastern teams and San Lorenzo that he ain't coming to MLS unless it's DP money. I just don't see anyway NYRB signs Gallardo. I mean, Nicol and Mariner went to Argentina as well...does that mean they're just as likely to sign him? Actually, they're more so because they have a DP slot, tons of allocation money and lots of cap room. As for DC United, the primary reason why his signing might be likely is that Gomez (despite a mid-December deadline that was extended to mid-January) still hasn't signed with DC United. The transfer window is rapidly coming to a close. Gomez (and DCU) know that if Gomez doesn't sign after Jan. 1st, DCU has much more constrained options (because they can't use all of their allocation money to purchase an attacking mid and I can't see them giving up resources to trade for one (the resources they were reluctantly willing to give up were Carroll and Boswell--now both gone). Now the rumor of Gomez to Colorado has resurfaced. So DCU signing Gallardo to a DP slot is plausible. The team made a run at Veron, may have concluded they can't sign Gomez in time to avoid the window of fallbacks closing, has a combination of cap room (even with the other 4 SI signings) and has enough allocation money to buy down up to $500k in cap hit this year and next as well. Now, here are the reasons why a DCU signing of Gallardo would be unlikely: --DCU said after Veron dropped out they were unlikely to use their DP slot this year. --Payne has bypass surgery only weeks ago. You figure that in signing a DP, he'd have heavy input. And the way the team romanced Veron--lots of time. I have trouble seeing them make a quick decision on a DP like this. Still, the foreign press on this seems awfully certain with multiple sources saying he's coming to MLS.
IMO, New York is most likely, regardless of DP status. They could use an allocation, similar to the Crew and Schletto, to buy down a ~$600k contract. They have a fair amount of cap space, and I think Gallardo would be a PERFECT addition for NY. I would rate them as favorites in the East if they add a legimate threat on the left. Given Osorio has been rumored to be looking for a A-mid and LW in South America (Argentina and Columbia), and his affinity for latin talent, this makes a lot of sense to me. NE would make sense, on paper, but we all know Kraft isn't going to splash cash like that. I'm hoping it's NY, plus, maybe Red Bull could put together some type of endorsement package that could bring his compensation up to an acceptable level.
Not sure why he is coming to MLS. It will be interesting to find out (assuming he comes and actually signs). The money being offered is probably not the same but comparable if he is a DP. However, from his perspective. He has had two runs with River..both pretty successful. He initially went to France and was at Monaco (?)..he was pretty successful there as well. His latest move to PSG after his second run at River has not gone well. He has not played a lot. While coming to play at one of the Big Five of Argentina would be fantastic for any player...he has already played at River..so..San Lorenzo can't be that attractive to him (meaning..been there..done that)..note these are my guesses.. Maybe he just wants a quieter life..more normal..yet still get paid a reasonable amount of money to play soccer. I guess we will see..
I can't, for the life of me, recall whether or not Gallardo played alongside Juan Pablo Angel at River.
First, this could just be a wild rumor that Gallardo is coming to MLS (though the foreign press seems to be diverse enough that it sounds real). Second, where did you hear that NYRB has a lot of cap space? They've got a couple of guys who've they've cut loose or may lose. But basically, most of their big cap hits are still on the roster. Schoop was cheap b/c the mother ship paid most of his salary. Vide was a developmental player. Wattereus was only $100k. Most of Mathis' salary was paid for by Colorado and RSL. Now they may cut Van Den Bergh. But Altidore loses his Gen-Ad status. Yes, the cap went up by $200k or so. But NYRB is a team that needs an A-mid, a left-mid, defensive depth if not at least one more starter on the backline and probably some midfield depth. So blowing a max salary on one player basically says "we're not getting that outside mid, we're not getting mid depth, we're not upgrading our defense and we're keeping our fingers crossed that none of our defenders get injured." Basically, any time a team has 2 DP's or max salary players, the rest of your cap will be tight. Yeah, they could buy down a hit with allocations. But I think that for a player of Gallardo's ability, it would take $600K of allocations just to get him to an MLS maximum salary. My assumption is that Gallardo would command a salary similar to Angel's (over a million dollars--like $1.2 million). People put 2+2 together and get 5. I won't rule out NYRB signing Gallardo, it just seems like he's one of the least likely teams in MLS to do this (along with LAG). Osorio goes to Argentina and NYRB needs an A-mid....well I bet every coach in MLS has visited Argentina this offseason. And every team in MLS other than possibly Chicago, Houston, and LAG needs an A-mid. The difference is: the other teams have cap room.
Gallardo was great at PSG, but if I were an MLS club I would rather get Bonaventure Kalou is an absolute class center attacking mid. He's also in the Middle East.
Gimnasia wants Schellotto to retire there, and Gallardo certainly at this point of his career can't expect anything better, Qatar or another place to retire, since River isn't paying attention to him.
If he actually does come to MLS then I would put DC as the front runner for him. DC has opened up alot of cap room with the loss of Brian Carroll's 125k contract, Jaime Moreno accepting a lower salary, and Christian Gomez leaving (I'm assuming). Plus they have plenty of allocation money that expires soon, so don't rule out the possibility of a big signing bonus. Plus, he's already been linked with DC by name and the DC front office has the strongest ties with south america in the league. Of course he could randomly head to someplace like RSL or San Jose and we'd all look like idiots.