https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/real-salt-lake-acquire-saba-lobjanidze-from-atlanta-united RSL sign Saba Lobjanidze from Atlanta 31 year old winger that looks like he can play all over the midfield. His highlights look Luna-esque to say the least. Does his age signal that he his here for his veteran presence in practice and that he is a liability on defense so he only comes in when RSL is up by 7? Maybe that is only for 34/35 year olds. He will have to acclimate to the altitude and then the Pablo Universe so expect to see him early October? Just kidding. Looks like a nice player for how RSL has been playing. Looks like a good deal. Does it mean that RSL is not splurging in the next transfer window? Inquiring minds want to know.
Monterrey tried to super low-ball another for Luna earlier this year. They tried again just now for $3.5M, RSL still says no. https://bsky.app/profile/tombogert.bsky.social/post/3mpoxr2q3z22m
Saw a probably extremely unreliable report on the internet that RSL is asking Rayados $6M for Luna. That would make him somewhere around Monterrey’s 12th highest incoming transfer in their history. They are taking Rossi in this window for $8M. (About their 10th highest) I am guessing RSL will just wait to see how the Europe money looks in a few weeks and compare to the $3.5M?
Can we get a replacement at Luna's level of play AND draw for X dollars, is the question. No need to sell as long as Luna is productive and supportive. Next summer after the sprint season would be fair to the player unless the money is right.
Went to practice yesterday and speaking with some of the communication team the attitude form RSL is essentially, make us a real offer and we will consider it. Don't try and low ball us. We don't want to sell to sell. We will keep everyone through the end of the season. That's fine with us. The rumored Luna offer is pretty much was the amount I heard offered last season for Luna. I really doubt there will be a larger offer from Europe. A decent offer might have come, and may still, especially if Luna had made the USMNT, as expected, but it did not happen. Even a limited dynamic sub roll would have been interesting to see if his stock would rise. I think his negatives, size, average speed, and assumed struggles with fitness, seem to outweigh his obvious talent and tenacity. I would love to see him get the move he wants but the offer is going to have to be a real one. We shall see. I also went to the team scrimmage this morning. As you might expect there is still a bit of rust to be knocked off but there were some very bright spots. they played 4 15 minute quarters. No score in the first half but in 3rd Gozo picked up a goal for his side in white and then the other 11 in blue picked up two late goals to get the win. Gozo's goal was vintage Gozo. It was a counter with Olatunji laying off a long pass at the half field line with a nifty little flick that played on Gozo who drove down the left side, cut in at the top of the box and drilled it far post. The first two goals for the blue side came from about 25-30 yards out when Junqua absolutely lasered a shot past a diving Cabral. It was pretty epic. The second goal came from a nice build up down the right side with, I believe Luna send a low cross through the box that Sergei deftly redirected into the corner. Glad didn't play but was there. Kobi Henry looked good. Saba looked good. Gozo was gozo. Piol was there and looking like recovery is going well. Not a lot of surprises. Lineker looks like a player that should be out there. It was pretty spirited and a fun way to spend the morning.
I hate to say it but I have a feeling that Luna’s history of mental health challenges is the biggest factor in the lowball offers. Although he has aggressively worked on them it’s still a stigma that gets in the way..
That is a great point. I think it’s more youth than mental health but honestly it comes down to talent and I think Luna might be close to his ceiling.
If teams were really worried about mental health, I doubt Luis Suarez would have had much of a career
Yeah I wouldn’t speculate into the mental health of others as rationalization for decisions. At best you look like you’re grasping for straws while trying to figure something out, at worst it becomes offensive. I personally don’t think Luna has hit his ceiling, but I also don’t think that ceiling is of a top 10 player in this country. There is nuance in there with a lot of $ to be made. I think Liga MX could actually be a very cool destination for him if he was open to it. The next best case would be either La liga (obviously not the massive clubs) or a mid table Serie A side
I don't think that it has much of anything to do with mental health but with Luna being so proactive an advocate it makes it front and center. I agree with the nuance on where his ceiling is. It's a fascinating discussion. One that only gets answered down the road at the end of a career but is certainly fodder discussion along the way. I would love to see Diego get over to Serie A or La Liga or similar. I want very much to be wrong and his ceiling is much higher.
Aye. And it's kind of a big deal because it's our first deal for cash rather than GAM/TAM/Picks/Player. A $1.1 million cash injection has to be welcome for the FO. (There's a chance for GAM too based on performance metrics.)
RSL Acquires 2026 International Roster Slot From Austin FC | Real Salt Lake What's up with this? It's not for Saba.
https://www.rsl.com/news/real-salt-lake-acquires-2026-international-roster-slot-from-austin-fc I think it has to do with this. They picked it up through July and now the rest of the season perhaps.
RSL turns Nelson Palacio into future flexibility in historic cash-for-player deal - KSL Sports My understanding is this guy usually does good stuff, but he really missed the mark with this one. RSL had to move Palacio. The 4 U-22 guys are Luna, Marczuk, Arias and Piol. Yes, give credit for getting what they did for Palacio, but this was a move they had to make. It's interesting that Toronto didn't aim higher with one of their 2 allowed cashfer transactions, but maybe this is what made the most sense. The article mentions an immediate cash infusion, it would be interesting to know if that really happens given you hear stories about transfers being paid in installments. RSL not being on the hook for all of Saba's salary is a bigger story. The international slot story is more intriguing. Or am I just grumpy and wrong on this?
Ok, but who needs it that they weren't anticipating needing it? Or is there a new DP coming and Glad is being bought down?
Can't both be true? Grumpy and wrong? Probably just grumpy. Matty is good guy but he is an RSL stan, fan, whatever, to the core so his takes may lean RSL positive. Nothing wrong with that for the most part. The take that RSL had to make the move, which they did, is less sexy than making the case for an historic move. Just saying but get your point for sure.
I just don't like "insiders" spreading the wrong info. Unless (which it hasn't been made public) Piol is on a season ending list, RSL doesn't have a an open U-22 slot. That could change with Marczuk or Luna leaving, too, but that hasn't happened. Celebrate the first time stuff all you want, praise Palacio for his improvement and contributions. I just don't think the incorrect info should be spread by those with a public mouthpiece.
I don't disagree at all. I am not a journalist but I do play one on a podcast. lol I was chatting with another podcaster the other day after practice about being able to participate in reporting on the team. I am very happy that I can and incredibly disappointed at the same time. As journalism tries to find it's way, and MONEY it needs to keep it going, the door was opened for idiots like me to participate. Honestly, there shouldn't be that much space available for us. I love doing the podcast and I enjoy being there and trying to ask decent questions but the fact that I can and I am there, on a journalistic level, is really, really, sad. Before this season when the Millers, in their infinite wisdom, decided they needed the press box more than the press, it was quite the experience to attend and watch games in that space. That space, in the past, was filled with actual journalists. Most were long gone before we found our way into the process. As it stood, when we made our way in, the box was filled with the RSL comms team on the back row and generally one reporter from KSL Caleb Turner, who they let go last year. You would also occasionally have a reporter from the visitor side but that was generally it for actual journalists. The rest was podcasts and the like. The RSL show guys would sometimes sit there but most of the time they were in the KSL box or something. You rarely saw them at all. Trevor from Wasatch Sentinel sometimes, the Spanish radio stations/podcasts, RSL season ticket or whatever that one was, the RSL Bros, a few guys from the Royal Riot, and Us. I did hear that one of the guys from the Royal Riot had his press pass yanked for having zero decorum but rumor. They also had to remind some of these guys that it was the press box and that you are not supposed to cheer. Message not necessarily received by some. Not me. I loved watching the game without the cheering and booing. It was really nice. There is another KSL dude, Sean, from Salt City Soccer, that dude is cool. He's a journalist for damn sure. David James is also in the post game and that guy is awesome as well. What's the point of this? Hell if I know, but I do think that there should be distance between the club and the press. I don't know where that line is but I know you wont find me bringing Trey some iced coffee. Just saying.
Transfer window is open on Monday through 9/2. It feels like this needs to be a major window to make additions for the team from now through the sprint season. I'll be disappointed if they don't add a major DP. I'm hopeful they shuffle the U-22 spots. How long can they wait to make Gozo a U-22? There are 24 games plus playoffs and Leagues Cup if they advance. Then 14 games plus playoffs in the sprint season. They might be a few minor moves in December and January, but that's a over a season of games to not make some major moves. Am I the only one thinking this way?
What would you consider a major DP? Is there a dollar value threshold? Certain resume requirements? Name recognition? Historically, the mid-season DP's haven't been a game changer for us and require most of the season to acclimate. I don't think major changes need to be made, but if I'm completely honest, it's been a long enough break that I don't remember the last RSL game. Feels like the World Cup break has been as long as the offseason was...
I need to see a DP that's a clear starter and isn't close to the DP salary threshold. Possible slots: forward, AM, DM, CB. On one hand, you need to bring in a starter, but you also don't have a real way to add a starter if you lose Luna, Gozo or Solans this winter. If they leave this window, hopefully there's enough time to make an addition. I'm not sold on Glad, so bringing in a Miles Robinson type player at CB makes a lot of sense, but RSL has lots of expensive CBs. Hard to add another. If I had to pick, I'd probably bring in a guy like Cubas that can boss the midfield. But CB is close.