MLS 2024 Flavors of the Week

The thing is this isn’t going to happen at the international level it’s going to be the club level. Pochettino and staff don’t spend enough time with players to have that sort of impact.

If Steffen does turn things around it’s going to be at Colorado where he’s working with the coaches on a day to day basis, versus the occasional camp here and there.

 

Have you sent a telegram to the NHL? If not, why are you keeping this crucial insight from them?

 

So does that hold for the WC also? All those teams qualifying and then the winner of each confed make it?

 

This would be huge for domestic players, as moving between MLS teams would become much easier...

Sources: There have been serious discussions about adding a cash-based internal MLS trade market & it could come to a vote this week when the MLS Board of Governors meets.

If passed, teams would be able to offer transfer fees to acquire in-league players https://t.co/TsA0JGfLam

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) December 10, 2024

MLS in discussions to potentially add cash trade market: Sources

The committees that shape the future of Major League Soccer roster rules have had serious discussions about adding a cash-based internal trade market and could vote on it this week when the MLS Board of Governors meets in New York, sources tell GIVEMESPORT.​

The internal trade market would allow MLS clubs to make trade offers with real cash rather than allocation money, much like the rest of global soccer, sources say. Those sources add this would not replace allocation money, but offer another avenue. For instance, teams could still do allocation money trades if it's approved.​

Sources are optimistic this idea could be voted on and come to fruition this week, but nothing is guaranteed. An internal cash trade or transfer market has long been discussed by various committees and has come close in previous years, with many sources around the league having expected it to be implemented.

For new salary cap/roster rules to be implemented in MLS, it has to be voted on by the sporting and competition committee (previously known as the product strategy committee). Before it gets there, it has to be recommended by the sporting committee.​

 

Sucks there's only one American on this list... let's hope Cavan Sullivan really hits because despite Canada only making up 10% of MLS, all three Canadian teams being relatively new and often not very good or even competent, it seems like Canadians are faring better in MLS than Americans. Biggest transfer Davies, best player produced Davies, best defender produced Bombito, best coach produced Nancy all Canadian, at least Jonathan David despite being a dual nat born in NY raised in Ottawa didn't come through MLS but best forward Duran Colombian... not great

Biggest outbound transfers in MLS history:

1. Alphonso Davies, $22m Vancouver > Bayern
2. Thiago Almada, $21m (+add-ons) Atlanta > Botafogo
3. Miguel Almiron, $19m ATL > Newcastle
4. Jhon Duran, $18m (+$4m add-ons), Chicago > Aston Villa
5. Ricardo Pepi, $17m Dallas > Augsburg https://t.co/Q7wu8eubSe

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) December 10, 2024

 

Largest transfer does not necessarily equal "best" of anything. Particularly given that whole inflation thing. Moise Bombito has played 12 games in Ligue; he's a good player, but I'm not sure that qualifies as the "best defender produced." Jhon Duran is a stud (and so is Pepi), but neither have come anywhere near someone like Dempsey's accomplishments. Or Jack Harrison's, for that matter.

And since Cavan has already been sold for far less, he won't make the list. But he highlights part of the reason -- the best young American prospects, even if they are in MLS academies, often leave or are sold before they have a chance to really build up a big number.

 

Cavan has already been sold, and the number won't get him anywhere near that list (unless there add-ons that get included down the line).

 

Right. How much would Pulisic have been sold for if he had signed for Philly at 15? Same for McKennie, Sargent, etc. Adams is a funny one, but he definitely deserves to be on a "Best of..." list of MLS exports despite a low transfer number.

Also, Bombito is Canadian, but the Canadian system basically failed him. It was an American team that recognized his talent and developed him (and got the fee for him).

 

I don't think it sucks that big money Euro clubs view MLS and American soccer so favorably that they snap up young Americans before they've had a chance to establish themselves as stars that would command huge transfer fees. It's a good sign that young players from Argentina/Paraguay/wherever need to use MLS as a proving ground before Europe will bite, while young American can jump directly from their domestic league. It's a sign of strength.

 

Agree.

It's worth doing a real analysis of whether player development is where it should, or progressing still, etc. But a Top 5 of transfer fees really doesn't do that at all.

 

Yes, people have to remember that Adams wasn't "sold" abroad so much as he was internally transferred from one Red Bull club to another. Had he been "sold" in the traditional sense, his number would've been far greater.

It's another discussion, but FWIW, Bombito is the one player that I would poach from the Canadians if I could poach one. We miss his pace and 1v1 defending in the back, and that would allow us to commit far more to pressing aggressively up high like the rest of our pool is best suited, like Poch would probably like us to play if he could risk it. Davies is the best, obviously, but we have a better left winger, and we have another very good left back.

 

Which was also sorta the case with Chris Richards being transferred to Dallas' developmental partner.

Both clubs got huge payments for the subsequent transfer of those players.

 

I think Richards falls into the Cavan bucket -- he would have gone for far more but the payment was more of a Bayern-saying-thank-you to a partner than something they needed to do. I'm sure they could have simply told him not to sign and they'd sign him directly.

In Cavan's case, there's more to it -- he can't go over now and play matches -- but it is similar in that the likelihood of him leaving without any transfer compensation makes his price tag much lower. Bayern was doing relationship building; Man City was buying playing time for Cavan when he couldn't be in Europe.

And heck, while I think Philly only got about $10M or so for Brenden, he later fetched $30M. Which was was an overpay, but again speaks to how transfer fees are often influenced by far more than simply straight quality.

 

I don't think Richards even signs with Dallas without the assurance of a subsequent loan to Bayern Munich.

LAFC is Bayern's current partner, and I don't know what they're getting out of that. LAFC has talked the talk about youth development, but opportunities have been limited for their academy products.

 

I think Bayern joined with FC Dallas as a scouting partner and to dip their toe in the market. I think they know it is easy enough to scout MLS now and they took on LAFC as a marketing partner; not a player development partner.

I doubt they are getting that much out of it, but I think it's got a completely different focus.

 

Columbus traded them an international roster slot to protect their players so no Dejuan Jones

 

Flach is returning to Germany to be closer to his family.

 

Why?

Eryck Williamson is available
Jack Elliott is available
If you're going to take anyone from the Galaxy's list, I'd take Brugman.
Ben Bender is available
A host of good backup keepers are available in MacMath, Ochoa, Bingham, Marcinkowski...Nashville has a host of players that would be good pickups (Maher, Davis, Yearwood).

A case can be made for Arriola given his ties to Club Tijuana, but at his age and price, and his injury history.... that's a big risk.

 

I think Tim Parker is on an expiring contract and will become a free agent

 

Interesting that LAFC protected Tillman but left Atuesta, O'Brien, and Ilie exposed. I guess salary related?

 

Atuesta and Obrien are on expiring loans and Ilie will be a free agent. LAFC stated they are in negotiations to bring O'Brien in permanently

 

Well done by @ELROLONW as always. Talks for the Seattle Sounders to acquire Jesus Ferreira have been ongoing this offseason.

One way or another, high likelihood Jesus Ferreira has played his last game for FC Dallas. https://t.co/sXLMTPqIqE

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) December 11, 2024