Shaqiri - a semi-retired player taking his last big pay check since he was 28. I hope he saved some money. $22 for a pizza Margherita back home.
Portland and Nathan Fogaca part ways https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/portland-timbers-mutually-part-ways-with-nathan-fogaca Would LOVE him back in San Antonio.
Not anymore! Sure, the Fire lost Shaqiri and his $8,153,000.00 salary, but we picked up (drumroll) Ariel Lassiter. Cost us $75,000 in Garberbux (possibly $150k if he does anything for the Fire) and he makes $260,000.00 a season. https://www.chicagofirefc.com/news/chicago-fire-fc-acquires-winger-ariel-lassiter-from-cf-montreal
How much of our collective expectations for teams to make moves in the secondary window are because that is what we typically see in the bigger soccer leagues? Unlike MLS almost everything about those leagues comes down to where you finish that year and there is no longer term thought process. If you are at the top you need to make sure you qualify for UCL ($$$$$). Mid-table? Europe ($$). Everyone else? Avoid relegation (-$$ to -$$$$$). A team in the Fire's position would mortgage the entire future just for one more year in top flight. You worry about next year when it gets here. MLS is different because you can build for a good cycle during a bad one. You are afforded the opportunity to get it right instead of getting it right now. For this year it may suck. But is it better to wait till next year and build out a solid team that can grow into a really good one or to go out and buy DPs and U-22s to sneak into the playoffs with a team whose ceiling may just be "sneak into the playoffs consistently"? I mean I think Charlotte has shown real smarts this window. The swung really hard and came close on a few deals, but they just haven't quite worked out. Their response? find a DP on loan for 6 months that if he works out and is what they want they can keep him. If he doesn't work out? They can swing for the fences again in a few months and have more time to put the right deal together. RSL was the opposite in that they pretty much see this is their window. They have a team that has turned into that really good for the next couple years side that needed just that extra push. I think those teams were smart and I think it is smart for Chicago and New England to only pursue deals that fit with the goal of longer term success. But as a fan of those teams I could see you hating that idea.
Sources confirm @PBrennanENQ's scoop: FC Cincinnati sign American forward Nicholas Gioacchini on loan from Serie A side Como. @willhansonmls reported talks as well.Gioacchini, 24, returns to MLS after departing St. Louis in January. pic.twitter.com/Q3xBV9FjY8— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) August 15, 2024
On Niko to FC Cincinnati, there is also a report of "flexibility" to extend the loan. Can confirm @PBrennanENQ report that #FCCincy is acquiring 24-year-old forward Nicholas Gioacchini on loan from Italian Serie A side Como (promoted this year from Serie B). The loan is through the end of the season, no purchase option, but flexibility to extend.— Laurel Pfahler (@LaurelPfahler) August 15, 2024 With CITY in 2023, he was nearly a 50/50 scoring threat. CITY may or may not have filled the gaping hole he left, but it is telling that he isn't returning to CITY. IMHO, this could be related to Bradley Carnell's firing as coach. FCC is getting a solid and creatively dangerous player here.
From Dortmund to the City of Angels 💫We have signed Marco Reus to a two-and-a-half-year contract through the end of the 2026 MLS season. 📰: https://t.co/R9UjTA0eGq | @kinecta pic.twitter.com/AUF1DvKA5E— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) August 15, 2024
Tom Bogert reports that St. Louis CITY SC has traded Anthony Markanich to Minnesota United FC. Sources: Minnesota United has acquired left back Anthony Markanich in a trade with St. Louis City.Markanich, 24, won the starting LB role for St. Louis this season. Previously featured for Colorado as well. pic.twitter.com/62YDfgW5cZ— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) August 15, 2024
Anything including just-stick-a-fork-in-my-eye but WHAM. I don't think anything is owed on a loan, but the deal with Como 1907 includes bonuses on resale. My hunch is that FCC would not owe CITY anything, but CITY might share in Como 1907's resale profit if there is a sale. Just a guess.
The club has signed midfielder Joaquín Pereyra from @ATOficial to a three-and-a-half-year Designated Player contract, with a club option for 2028.📰 » https://t.co/ArwGcfRPNX pic.twitter.com/4eDYYG4iZ3— x - Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) August 15, 2024
As exciting as Shaqiri can be, there were plenty of reasons for caution. He had missed at least 10 games due to injury in five of the previous six seasons before joining Chicago. At least in part because of those injuries, his most consistent role at club level involved coming off the bench, meaning he was not usually the focal point of a team’s attack, as he would be expected to be for the Fire. Shaqiri’s important role for Switzerland meant he’d miss further games in MLS, which often plays through Fifa’s international windows. Why this signing was doomed to be a failure from the jump, summed up in one paragraph.
OFFICIAL: The club has waived defender Aboubacar Keita. 📰 » https://t.co/GOpT9AU2NM#Rapids96 pic.twitter.com/gQJG6eKxqQ— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) August 15, 2024
Not sure where to put this but it will impact transfers in 2025 - MLS teams choosing their own adventure between U22 and DP models: https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-clubs-declare-roster-construction-models-for-2024-season