Well, that has happened: Oficial ✍🇦🇷 Bienvenido, Federico!We have officially signed Argentine U-23 National Team defensive midfielder Federico Redondo to a contract running through the 2027 MLS season, with a Club option for 2028. The midfielder joins the Club as a U22 Initiative player, pending… pic.twitter.com/0PgKQFnN4D— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) February 23, 2024 And FCC have what is likely their Barreal replacement already in: Luca Orellano is #AllForCincy 🔶🔷 pic.twitter.com/HAYAAGuLhJ— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) February 23, 2024 Also, there are the TFC and Rapids moves today but people have covered that in a different thread already. Edit: I'm also amazed at the change in salaries U-22 players have undertaken in just a few years. Almada, Magno, and Velasco all were 1+ million and someone like Carranza was 800k+. I know that Messi makes players join for less but even outside of Miami you have NYCFC with a highly rated European 18 year old on under 650k and a player who is on Uruguay's senior team playing for that amount on LAFC.
Not sure what you mean by U-22 salaries. Compensation for U-22 players can’t be greater than the maximum salary budget charge (which is below $700k). I have noticed MLS clubs paying bigger transfer fees to acquire these players (Columbus’ off-season U-22 signing was the 4th highest fee the team has ever dished out for a player). Of course, the U-22 rule doesn’t place a cap on what you spend on a transfer fee. But it does on salary.
Salaries for players under the age of 22. Not specifically U-22 salaries, my bad. There seems to be more players willing to play for a salary that meets the U-22 threshold than there were just a few years ago. Redondo, Diego Gomez, and all the Colombians that were in the pre-Olympic qualifying were on salaries that meet that U-22 threshold. When Miami came into the league Carranza and Pelligrini came for salaries over that threshold and had to be TAM or YDP players. Players like Hector Villialba (830k), Andre Horta (1.2M), and Jesus Medina (870k) for example. Just seems that the salary needed to attract those players has dropped over the past couple years.
I'm wondering if part of that is which league they're coming from. Carranza was playing with Wolverhampton while Redondo is coming from Argentinos Juniors.
You're thinking of Leo Campana. Carranza was at Banfield prior to transferring to Inter Miami. Carranza was a Young DP, not a U22 player.
Don Garber is meeting with 12 owners after the match in Miami to talk about changing the roster rules. #InterMiami #MLS #MLSisBack pic.twitter.com/Ru5PPQb9ht— Favian Renkel (@FavianRenkel) February 26, 2024 Any idea who those 12 owners are? If it's the same owners that want to continue with slow but steady pace then nothing will come out of it.
To be clear this is one of the regularly scheduled meetings during the year (according to reports). This isn't some sort of special or emergency meeting being called. They'll also meet at/around the ASG, sometime in the fall, and at/around MLS Cup.
I’m hearing the Philadelphia Union have come to terms with recent U.S U-17 World Cup attacker David Vazquez— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) February 27, 2024
Sources: San Jose Earthquakes in advanced talks to sign star free agent Carlos Vela.Deal not decided/done yet but could get there soon. Almost definitely would be DP deal.Vela, 35, had 9g/7a in 34 regular season apps (2k mins) last year. LAFC legend. https://t.co/dPyF84zFg5— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) March 1, 2024
Sources: Norwegian club Sarpsborg finalizing a deal to acquire GK Marko Ilić on loan from the Colorado Rapids.Ilić, 26, joined Rapids initially to be starter but club signed Zack Steffen. Move gives Ilić chance to start. Means highly-rated USYNT GK Adam Beaudry is COL backup. pic.twitter.com/zeeXkH9GMi— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) March 1, 2024
BREAKING: Portland Timbers in advanced talks to sign sign forward Germán Berterame from CF Monterrey with a bid around $15m, per sources. @CLMerlo 1st.Nothing agreed yet but Portland working on it. Monterrey could still keep him. TBD ⏳https://t.co/thqSGBSnp7— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) March 2, 2024 MLS/Liga MX starting their own little transfer market.
Huh: BREAKING: FC Cincinnati agree a deal to acquire USMNT right back DeAndre Yedlin, per sources. @PBrennanENQ first.Cincy sending Miami $172k GAM for Yedlin.Cincy found a way to fit him under cap, with big push from execs Kyle McCarthy and Hunter Freeman. https://t.co/MVMxf0oydi— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) March 3, 2024 And Charlotte's first big incoming move of the year seems to be close: BREAKING: Charlotte FC finalizing a deal to sign Israeli int'l winger Liel Abada from Celtic, per sources. @SportsPeteO first reported.Abada, 22, will be a young DP. Fell out at Celtic. Last year had 10g/5a in 1,257 mins for Celtic. 10 caps with Israel. https://t.co/8QfSHOH0cz— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) March 3, 2024 His whole saga started with the Israel/Hamas situation. I believe that the Celtic supporters have verbally and visually been pro-Palestine during matches and there have been some rumors of pressure from home about his playing for Celtic because of that. Basically, he is a young guy that has been thrown into a situation where politics and sports are probably pulling him in different directions.
The one that needs to start their own little transfer market is MLS itself. IMO, they are losing millions of dls due to not having an internal market that deals with real cash. They claim to be all about making money but are leaving plenty on the table. For example Yedlin just yesterday. How much is someone like Yedlin worth in MLS in real cash? Or Vazquez? Would any other MLS team have been willing to pay more than what Monterrey paid for him? I know they were supposedly discussing on how to work an internal market in MLS and clear up all the legal issues that come with single entity. Just never heard anything come out of it.
Not transfers, but Mukhtar, Bouanga, and Luna have all signed new deals with their respective clubs. Luna's is as a U-22 initiative signing which has RSL moving Andres Gomez up to be a Young DP (apparently Matty Cash is also being classified as a DP for the time being but can be bought down if they sign a player that needs a DP slot).
Lulz. Yeah. No clue why Matty Cash came out. I don't even think I know who he plays for (think Villa, but might be West Ham).
This fell apart and San Jose sounded like they had found their 10 in Jean-Paul Boetius (formerly of Hertha Berlin, Mainz, Feyenoord, and others). He had been available on a free as he was recovering from testicular cancer which was in remission. Apparently though he found out just this past week that it has returned, so that deal is off because he will be heading back into treatment. Also, the Portland deal for Bertrame is dead because the player wants to stay in Mexico. He is supposed to be in the process of being naturalized and if he moves now that would end his chances of joining the Mexican National Team. Bogert sounds like he thinks there was work done by Monterrey and the FMF to keep him there instead of Portland. That means that Portland is now finalizing a deal for Rodriguez from Club America.
If Tottenham doesn’t exercise the option for Werner, RBNY may. 😳🤌🏼👊🏼 https://t.co/e1pz1zQLPl— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) March 12, 2024 That would certainly be something. Don't see it happening but that would certainly put pressure on NYCFC to make some sort of big name signing. Edit: Also, a MLS Next Pro signing that people will realize. LAFC2 has signed David Ochoa. Remember when he was the next big GK from MLS?
Vancouver Whitecaps acquire Ralph Priso from Colorado Rapids MLSsoccer staff Tuesday, Mar 12, 2024, 03:05 PM
Oddly enough I was suggesting MLS needed to get rid of this rule because it was handicapping teams by forcing them to have a U23 DP (or max TAM or simply no 3rd DP) attached to all 3 U22-I players. Finally! Now if they can get rid of the U23 DP rule too but keep the same cap hit benefits of it and just assign 3 DPs without any age restrictions would be another improvement. Sources: A key MLS roster rule change is in the works & is expected to be implemented this summer.MLS to decouple Designated Player & U-22 initiative rules. All teams get 3 u22s no matter what. Opens room for more investmentNot 100% done, but expected https://t.co/2KRQ6b02Hn— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) March 13, 2024
So the Rapids acquired Priso in the trade that sent Kaye to Toronto. Originally they paid $1M in GAM and a international slot for a season to get Kaye and a 1st round pick from LAFC. By trading Kaye and what they did with that pick they've turned the $1M in GAM + slot into $1.3M in GAM, Canadian international Moise Bombito, a first and a third pick next year, an international slot, plus all the games Markanich, Priso, and Kaye played for the club.
San Diego FC sign first internationals: Ingvartsen, Tverskov acquired from FC Nordsjaelland Jonathan Sigal Tuesday, Mar 19, 2024, 01:55 PM