2014-2015 Off-Season Player Movement Discussion

rumors of Roger Espinoza's return to Kansas City from Wigan. Twellman on ESPN broadcast last night apparently said it was 99.9% done.

 

Kei Kamara to Columbus should be the first official one (along with all the retirements: Donovan, Demerit, Di Vaio, etc.).

 

Kamara's already signed. He joined too late to play this season but is living in Columbus practicing with the team so it's a bit different than if he'd only signed a future contract. Not sure exactly how he's classified but he's a current Crew/MLS employee rather than simply a future one. I suspect the Crew were able to pay his signing bonus from our 2014 cap allowance (we were well below the cap).

 

I'd hope that's the case, otherwise it doesn't make much sense to sign him when they did.

 

Charles Eloundou was in the same situation last year. By the time they finally got his paperwork form the Cameroonian FA it was after the roster freeze date. But he was in Colorado training with the team for the end of the season.

 

Her'es a list of Bosmans with a few highlighted. I would think Gerrard would be the No. 1 MLS target there. There may be other guys who aren't listed here. Some of them would likely be out of practical salary range.

Player (age) Club
Sami Khedira (27) Real Madrid
Marcelo (26) Real Madrid
Andriy Yarmolenko (24) Dynamo Kyiv
Giorgio Chiellini (30) Juventus
Evgen Konoplyanka (24) Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
Yann M'Villa (24) Inter Milan
James Milner (28) Manchester City
Andre Ayew (24) Marseille
Klass-Jan Huntelaar (31) Schalke 04
Tom Cleverley (25) Manchester United
Glen Johnson (30) Liverpool
Nigel De Jong (29) AC Milan
Balazs Dzsudzsak (27) Dinamo Moscow (end-December 2015)
Emmanuel Adebayor (30) Tottenham Hotspur
Matthieu Flamini (30) Arsenal
Christoph Kramer (23) Bayern Leverkusen (on loan at Monchengladbach)
Sergi Roberto (22) Barcelona
Jon Flanagan (21) Liverpool
Younes Kaboul (28) Tottenham Hotspur
Ron Vlaar (29) Aston Villa
Steven Gerrard (34) Liverpool
John Terry (33) Chelsea
Michael Carrick (33) Manchester United
Mikel Arteta (32) Arsenal
Suso (20) Liverpool
Rafael van der Vaart (31) Hamburg
Anderson (26) Manchester United
Gabriel Agbonlahor (27) Aston Villa
Dirk Kuyt (34) Fenerbahce
Danny Ings (22) Burnley

EDIT: The Transfermarkt list. A few other notable names: Bryan Ruiz, Fred.

 

So, just list them oldest to youngest and the guys at the top are the highest priority (or most likely) targets for MLS?

 

Are we going to count Ben Swanson (HG signing) for Columbus the same as Kamara, or treat him as a new player?

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/sports/2014/10/15/1015-crew-mls-signs-ben-swanson.html

I know both guys do not have to be protected (Swanson due to HG) in the expansion draft, so it is kind of difficult to classify either as a current player. Especially with Kamara, it isn't like he's cup tied. Yes, the signing is done, but he not officially on the team until next year. Methinks. If he was, we'd have to protect him, yes?

 

Kamara won't have to be protected because he's not on the roster (which is why he can't play). But he's under contract with and property of the Crew. His contract details won't be released. His salary won't be known until the union does their spring publishing. But I'd wager he has received a relocation fee, a signing bonus, and is covered by the same insurance as the other players. I'd also bet that the part apportioned prior to Dec 31 is included in the Crew's 2014 salary budget.

 

Not a rumor or a transfer, but news of a (10-day) training stint --

Chicago Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson set for training stint with Premiership club Hull City

 

Dynamo trade Tally Hall and int. slot to Orlando for allocation money.

EDIT: Dammit, @Dills beat me to it.

 

And Houston sent OCSC an international player slot as well.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...-houston-dynamo-tally-hall-20141028-post.html

Wonder how much allocation money Houston picked up from that trade.

 

Yup. (I read the cliff notes version.)

 

so, Houston is going with Deric for 2015 or shopping for another GK?

 

Do not confuse an "official loan" with a "training stint."

Hamid has never played a competitive profession club match for any club other than DC United.

And yes, some "training stints" are in the guise of a "tryout" and some teams that take players on training stints do want to sign and will pursue a contract with (and a potential paid transfer from their previous club, if one is needed) said player.

Hard to know which MLS players are really "out-of-contract" come December 2014 -- as contract details, such as exact duration, are so rarely shared by MLS.

 

I feel bad for Philly. They basically have drafter 3 kickers in their NFL Fantasy draft and no one wants to trade them for their kickers right now.

 

well, NYCFC might still take MacMath, and Mastroeni can't get enough GKs to rotate, right?

 

I heard that NYCFC is wanting to sign ex sounder Gspurning