Cole Bassett at Fortuna Sittard (olf Colorado Rapids)

Could it be a player exchange?

 

There's talk this is a Benfica B deal, which makes no sense to me. I don't care about acclimation. If he's not good enough to at least be on the bench for the first team he shouldn't go. Getting buried on B could kill his European asperations.

 

Yeah no thanks to that B team black hole

 

Not a big fan of going to worse leagues from the one you've done pretty well in. Really stunting of development and doesn't speak to belief in him from prospective new club.

Total Market Value:

Benfica - 357
Freiburg - 146
Braga - 138

Just take a step down club-wise to enjoy a higher level league and keep moving up that ladder. Freiburg actually would have been a great fit for his high octane style. If clubs like these aren't offering enough, wait for a better spot. Maybe he could have a big surge in the playoffs.

 

Yea. Absolutely no way a proven player at mls level (and his potential) goes to a B Team, for the price it would cost to buy him.

 

That would be terrible. Happy to see him in the Colorado lineup tonight and not headed to a B Team in Portugal. That isn't even a step up... it is a step down. I feel like he has more left to prove at the MLS level anyways. If he isn't going to be pushing for top 5 league Euro playing time then just stay put and play well enough to bring up your value. It isn't like the clock is ticking.... He just turned 20. I would like to see him up his numbers this season w/ the Rapids and make a push for a move this winter. The Freiburg move was different... that would have been a good move. Make them re-think it by playing well this season and join them in the Winter.

 

Reddit. r/ussoccer/

That's not to say it's definitive, but they're fairly reliable on aggregating news. We'll see if it happens but Bassett in the lineup for Colorado yesterdays says a deal isn't close yet.

 

This dude doesn't get mentioned in the MLS flavors thread. Is he good enough for Benfica to want him?

 

Maybe

 

I'm frequently on the USsoccer subreddit as well, and this rumor just doesn't make sense to me. Posted by a Benfica fan referencing an Abola article about him transferring to the Benfica B team.

Bassett is currently on ~$120k/year and getting regular game time in a better league than Liga Portugal 2. Average Benfica B team salary seems to be less than $50k/year. I'm sure he/his agent can use these rumors to negotiate a better contract as well.

Just seems like a no brainer to me to stay and keep developing until you could transfer directly to the first team. I'd be shocked if this was a transfer that happens in the next three weeks, but stranger things have occurred.

 

The timeline as I understand this is that first Tom Bogert (who contributes to MLS's website) tweeted that "talks remain ongoing with a 'top' Portuguese club" for Bassett.

Then a freelance writer published something on 90min saying that a source has revealed to him that the "top" club Bogert was referring to was Benfica.

Then A Bola (a Portuguese publication) published an article stating that "according to the website 90min.com" Benfica is negotiating the acquisition of Cole Bassett. The article then added that he "could be a reinforcement this summer for the B team."

Everything after Bogert's first tweet reads like conjecture to me (granted very plausible conjecture, but still).

 

KDLF is showing right now that getting trained by the a top club known for developing young players might not be a terrible move. Just because a typical MLS team could beat the average team from the league you're going to doesn't mean MLS maximizes development.

 

One player can't show that & going to top Portuguese clubs didn't work out for EPB & Parks. Maybe they're not actually that good at development but a vacuum for top young talent in Portugal due to their markets.

Plus, Bassett is older and more accomplished than any of those players were when they were playing for reserve sides. It wasn't an unnatural progression for them. When it comes to Bassett it would spell a regression.

But thankfully, like Kalm said, this could simply have been conjecture that he'd play for B because fans/media there don't rate MLS.

 

MLS is not a great league, but it's too good for its young rising stars to move to clubs like Benfica on reserve contracts.

I'm really struggling to think of any context where MLS starter ---> reserve player in Europe would be smart from a developmental or financial perspective.

Maybe if you're 17 and Bayern comes calling. Maybe. But Bassett isn't 17 and Benfica isn't Bayern.

 

Sources: Colorado Rapids and Benfica agreed to framework of a club-record transfer for Cole Bassett, but he turned it down to stay through end of MLS season + chase a trophy

Bassett, 20, likely to move in winter. Vitesse, Anderlecht among clubs interestedhttps://t.co/mEHgOIunqJ

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) August 31, 2021

 

Cool. I'm not really a fan of a move to Benfica for him. I think he'd have too hard a time breaking into the side. It's important to be very thoughtful and careful when picking the club when making your first move over to Europe. I thought it had rotting in Benfica B written all over it.

 

Benfica has a great name appeal, but he could struggle for first team minutes while also being too good for Benfica B. Why force that move?

 

seems to me like cole dodged a portugeuse trap some other baby nats have fallen squarely into

 

Talks about the Benfica move:

https://www.burgundywave.com/platfo...benfica-transfer-to-stay-with-colorado-rapids

Given that the Primeira Liga club has a history of acquiring talent-filled youth prospects who then fight it out in their lower ranks, Bassett thinks he was worthy of being on a first team and is willing to hold out for a better opportunity.

 

That's what good agent is for.

 

Bat signal for @feyenoordsoccerfan

 

Would be a good move. Feyenood is likely gonna play in Europa League next year but they are I believe only 3 points from 2nd and 5 points from first so just the next 6 months will be intense for Cole