Regarding Hulk, his departure was basically essential due to MLS economics. I really hate to see him go. He had developed into a really solid defender. I love this league and the parity within it but I can't help but feel like the growth of the league's popularity has far outpaced the growth of the on-field product. The league's overall level of play continues to improve, albeit slowly, but I wish we would see more risk taking at this point from MLS. If the higher ups don't drastically alter the salary cap situation after this next round of TV contract negotiations I will have to reconsider my expectations for what this league can become. Camilo's current pining for a move to Liga MX shows the problem with the current setup. The MLS has to reach a point where moving to a league like Mexico is a lateral move financially. You can't hemorrhage every up-and-coming player that makes his name in the league. Guys like Shea, Edu, etc. seeing no financial security in this league is also a major problem. Every USMNT player, save for the truly elite, should have the opportunity to earn a fair salary in our domestic league. Guys like Dempsey, Donovan, Bradley-type players should always want to test themselves at the Champions League level. This league will take off once guys like Diskerud, Bedoya, Josh Gatt, Joe Corona, et al can become cornerstones of MLS rosters. People in the home office continue to hawk TV ratings as the last frontier and then perpetuate the financial constraints that thwart the most important aspect of television appeal: the attractiveness of the soccer being played. It becomes maddening at times.
This rumor is up there with most unexpected signings I've ever heard. Bradley is still 26 and I would assume that every team in MLS would want him so why Toronto? I don't get it from his point of view.
This rumor is blowing my ********in mind, can't believe there's actual weight behind it... From Bradley's view point, he probably figures if they're willing to pay Jermaine Defoe $7+ million then he can make bank there too. I'd imagine he'll easily become the highest paid player in MLS history.
Toronto was apparently on the short list for Dempsey too. They have big money are want to make big moves. I don't know how many other teams would be willing to cough up the transfer fee and salary necessary for Bradley. Also I'm not sure if the allocation order matters (I don't think it did for Dempsey...) but if it does then Toronto is 3rd. The teams ahead of them probably wouldn't be able to get him (Seattle's DP quotient is full and DC probably can't afford him). Toronto has long been a joke, but Leiweke means business. Getting Defoe and Bradley in a World Cup year would be extremely impressive.
They definitely have the money for it. It just crushes my pipe dream of Bradley coming back to the US to play for the Red Bulls
According to the Dempsey Rule (or whatever you want to call it), the allocation order doesn't matter since he's a DP. And you can bet your ass that the league will be pitching in a significant piece of the transfer fee, if not the whole thing. How many players would we need to cut to make stealing Bradley feasible? Actually I doubt our owners are willing to spend $9-10mil a year on any player right now.
Next to zero unfortunately, Mix doesn't want to come to MLS because of the single entity structure. He almost signed for Portland last year but backed out because he didn't feel like he had enough control over his contract.
Not many. I expect they have just enough money for a DP. But they couldn't sign anyone else (minus draft and academy players). In terms of the allocation order there is no way Seattle takes him. They have 3 DP's, had to unload EJ because of cash restraints, and just put down millions for Dempsey. However...are we certain DC couldn't pick him up? They have the DP room, haven't officially signed Espindola yet...hmmmm....I wonder. If they passed on him that would be the most idiotic decision in sports history. Bradley immediately makes any team a contender...except Chivas. The rumors are baffling to me though. As has already been pointed out he's in the prime of his career and can command a high salary in Europe for really good teams. Yeah he might be having problems at Roma, but this guy goes out and wins a starting spot at every club he goes to. Maybe this is a loan deal to make sure he gets PT before the World Cup?
The same thought occurred to me, but then I remembered the Dempsey saga. The allocation order now apparently does not matter if the player is a DP. MLS clearly wants to facilitate big name USMNT players playing in the league, and so it's letting those top players choose. Toronto must have been willing to pony up more than other teams, or Bradley must have just preferred there, because yeah, I can't imagine a single MLS team that wouldn't want Bradley.
Crap. Forgot about that. I was just looking for another reason to dump on DC for making a terrible decision. If Toronto throws Dempsey money at Bradley it would be a lot more than he's making at Roma now (1.3million per year as opposed to Dempsey's 8million). However, Bradley has always seemed to put his career before the big pay day. This is the strangest transfer rumor I have ever heard. With Dempsey being a close second. I will be seriously pissed off if this happens. Can you imagine a Dax/Bradley midfield with Cahill and Henry up top?
I was shocked to see that Bradley was only taking in around $1mil a year at Roma. He's in for a SERIOUS pay raise in Toronto, wouldn't be surprised to see his salary reach eight digits.
It would be sweet to get him back, but there just doesn't seem to be that kind of aggression coming from club management/ownership right now.
He isn't specifically what we need right now. TFC needs all the help they can get and signing am incredible midfield general is probably the best way they could start. Do they still have $hit turf up there? Hope that doesn't end his career.
Thoughts on Brian Span? Seems like a guy a couple teams will be willing to try to acquire. He's from Somers.
No make sense a third DP of he caliber of Bradley at least not this year when we need more ready first team players than any other year before and if they sign another 360K against the CAP player, and if we do it, we will have a very regrettable season.... Unfortunately we need more regulars corpses than big stars and if we spend the money in one player we will be short all year around.... A Jr. DP will be the way to go.....
It would have only worked if he came in the summer so he's salary counts as half against cap, but its true that we don't necessarily need him. If Bradley pulled this next January when Henry's deal was out we probably could have made space, but not this season. It's good for the league that he is back now. Wish we had some decent RBNY news to talk about recently, but we know they are working on something behind the scenes
Certainly could be, Grant Wahl reported during the Dempsey saga that only LA, Toronto, and Seattle were willing to pay his $7mil salary and Bradley will certainly be in that range if not higher.
Salah in Turkey say Didier Drogba has held informal talks with New York Red Bulls over dinner and could move in the summer.