Liga MX, like his boy Rubio Rubin. Rubio is the same age, went pro the same year, and also had injury problems. But look at Rubio's struggle. Five teams in those same four years and never gave up. He looked good against Bolivia, and you can see his limitations on that team, but I don't doubt that he is going to have himself a solid year in Liga MX and I think Flores could do the same.
Maybe I’m crazy, but I feel like a USL or Ascenso MX offer is more likely than a MLS or Liga MX offer.
I don't think it's crazy. I mean, USL is a joke and you know he's better than that. I mentioned Rubin because they have similar histories, yet Rubin was able to get an offer from Tijuana. Perez has played almost 1/3 fewer games in the same time frame though. MLS should be a good option. I usually avoid bringing up MLS in the YA forums though.
Rubin proved himself in the Eredivisie at one point, before getting rocked by injuries and floating around for a while. Josh Perez? He was in kind of a weird place getting spot minutes in Serie C this year, but he’s still got some prospect shine on him. As far as I can tell, Flores has either been hurt, or an unspectacular squad player for a 4th division reserve team for a few years now.
If Flores is of sufficient quality that he can land at a respectable level next season and immediately start producing, that's awesome. Could he maybe end up a B2/MLS/Liga MX-type squad player next season? Perhaps. But I I kind of feel like a more likely, but still bullish, scenario might look like Fafa Picault's storyline -- maybe he drops a level below where he theoretically could be able to sign, breaks out, and then makes his way back up that way, assuming he stays healthy. Perhaps a bit slower, but still a payoff.
Yeah, I didn't mean to bring Josh Perez into this. I meant to type Flores, but your point stands although Perez is only 20.
Per his family, Former USYNT & local Standout, Junior Flores, whose contract with @BVB ended on June 30th, will be with Dortmund till he’s fully recovered in September and then will be looking for a new club. MLS move the most likely outcome.#DMVAbroad pic.twitter.com/fIiZbd57WY— DMV Soccer (@DMVSoccer96) July 5, 2018
He's trying to hang on to milk every ounce of that Dortmund reserve money before moving on to playing for the minimum in MLS. I get it, but at the same time it's short-sighted. Significantly better chance of a return to Europe if he moves to MLS sooner and then breaks into the national team off the strength of his performances.
Break into the national team? He hasn't played consistently in like three years, I would put money that he is out of MLS in three years his game does not fit the league. He is too slow.
Tweet from DMVSoccer on Sept 26 2018 says he'll be back in mid-October. Will be training with Eddie Johnson?!? What is Eddie training for exactly - is he making a comeback? Honestly might be better than our current forward options. DMV Soccer @DMVSoccer96 Local Junior Flores is just a few weeks away (Mid-October) from a full recovery from his long term knee injury with @BVB, he will be returning to play in the United States for 2019 and is looking forward to training with @eddie_johnson7 down in FL once he recovers! #RepDMV
Not sure if he's full strength, but that #comeback is there! https://www.instagram.com/p/BputRbrAUbf/ Edit: Oh and Romain Gall commented on that post, nice
I haven’t seen really anything from Flores in a while, but I wouldn’t be so quick to write him off. He could be in the same mold as a Lletget or a Canouse or a Picault, I guess we’ll see.
Except Lletget Canouse and Picault actually played games in the reserve team. Junior has always been too slow... it's sad but I would bet his career is over.
I just saw that Junior Flores is listed as a player subject to the MLS allocation list as a "Youth USMNT" player. I find that a bit odd, since he hasn't played for a youth team since 2014, and is 23 years old. The other youths on the list are also odd - Julian Green and Rubio Rubin. Not really youths anymore. None of them are even eligible for 2020 Olympics, since there were born before Jan. 1, 1997. https://www.mlssoccer.com/allocation
It says that on the top, but it's actually the 2019 Allocation Order (they just update the same article every year. It says last updated in April 2019.)
Apologies, I stand corrected. He and Rubin should be moved off IMO as well. I would be interested in seeing who all is on the list of elite youth players throughout the allocation process' history. I am assuming it is not defined in the bylaws (keeping it nebulous to provide more flexibility).