Follow all the latest MLS and U.S. soccer news and updates
"/>
The Athletic Soccer staff
(Patrick Goosen/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
Timbers getting bids for Evander
Brazilian giants Flamengo submitted an offer to sign Portland Timbers attacking midfielder Evander, but the $7.5 million bid was rejected out of hand, sources briefed on the bid say. It’s nowhere near the Timbers valuation of the player.
Evander, 25, became Portland’s club-record sign last winter when they spent $10 million to acquire him from Midtjylland. Evander is under contract through 2026, with a club option for 2027. They don’t have interest in selling, especially at a cut-rate bid of $7.5 million.
GO FURTHER
What I'm hearing on potential MLS player moves abroad: Tom Bogert
Crew's Mo Farsi garners interest from Dubai
UAE club Al-Wasl is pushing to sign Columbus Crew wingback Mo Farsi, sources say, but has yet to make a formal bid to the Crew.
Farsi is currently in Dubai. The Crew don’t kick off preseason until a bit later this month, due to their MLS Cup winning run. Al-Wasl currently sit first in the UAE Pro League after 12 matches.
Farsi, 24, made 41 appearances across all competitions for Columbus in 2023, starting all five playoff games. He excelled with the Crew’s second team in 2022, winning the MLS Next Pro title that year and earning a first team deal.
Columbus will have a need at the position if Farsi does leave, as Julian Gressel has already departed in free agency.
GO FURTHER
What I'm hearing on potential MLS player moves abroad: Tom Bogert
Colorado Rapids finalize Zack Steffen signing
The Colorado Rapids have officially signed goalkeeper Zack Steffen from Manchester City, the club announced on Thursday.
The 28-year-old joined City from the Columbus Crew in 2019 after starring in MLS, winning the league’s goalkeeper of the year award after the 2018 season. He went on several loans after joining City, including at Bundesliga club Fortuna Dusseldorf and most recently with Middlesbrough in the EFL Championship. The American has made 84 combined first-team appearances for those clubs after joining City in a deal worth around $7 million.
GO FURTHER
Colorado Rapids sign goalkeeper Zack Steffen from Manchester City: Sources
New York Red Bulls finalizing deal for Noah Eile from Malmo
Getty Images
The New York Red Bulls are finalizing a deal to sign Swedish youth international center back Noah Eile from Malmo, sources briefed on the deal tell The Athletic.
Eile, 21, is likely to hit the Red Bulls roster via the U-22 initiative. He spent the last two years on loan with fellow Swedish side Mjallby, making 52 appearances in all competitions for the club.
The defender adds another option for new RBNY head coach Sandro Schwarz at the position behind starters Andres Reyes and Sean Nealis.
The Red Bulls have already signed Sweden international Emil Forsberg earlier this winter.
Manny Perez from USL to Denmark: Sources
Former U.S. youth international Manny Perez is finalizing a transfer from USL's Louisville City to a Danish club.
Perez, 24, spent the last two years with Louisville, making 71 appearances. He made 10 MLS appearances with Austin FC in 2021. He signed with Celtic to start his career but didn't make a first team appearance.
Orlando City completes signing of Nico Lodeiro from Seattle Sounders
Orlando City has officially signed two-time MLS Cup-winning attacking midfielder Nico Lodeiro, as first reported by The Athletic in December.
Lodeiro was a free agent after eight hugely successful years with the Seattle Sounders, where he became a club legend by leading the organization to win two MLS Cups (2016, 2019) and the first MLS team to win the CONCACAF Champions Cup (2022).
The 34-year-old made 231 appearances for the Sounders, with 58 goals and 62 assists. Lodeiro appeared in 33 of the club’s 34 regular-season games in 2023 but fell out of the starting lineup as the Sounders got to the playoffs. He had 12 goals and nine assists in 34 appearances between CCC and MLS in 2022, showing his top form.
Lodeiro has 60 caps with the Uruguay national team.
NYCFC trades Alfredo Morales to SJ Earthquakes
NYCFC has traded midfielder Alfredo Morales to the San Jose Earthquakes for a third-round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft.
Morales won MLS Cup in 2021 with NYCFC, which he joined that year after a long career in Germany, where he was born. Morales made 86 appearances in all competitions with NYCFC, and has earned 16 caps with the USMNT.
CF Montreal hires Laurent Courtois as head coach: Sources
Getty Images
CF Montréal is finalizing a deal to name Laurent Courtois their next head coach, sources briefed on the deal tell The Athletic.
Courtois has been the head coach of the Columbus Crew’s second team, winning the inaugural MLS Next Pro title in 2022 and leading his side to the final again in 2023. Sources briefed on the deal say Charlotte FC assistant Pa-Modou Kah was also a finalist for the position.
GO FURTHER
CF Montreal hires Laurent Courtois as coach
Cincinnati’s Brandon Vazquez close to CF Monterrey move
Liga MX giants CF Monterrey are nearing a deal to sign U.S. men’s national team striker Brandon Vazquez from FC Cincinnati, sources briefed on the deal tell The Athletic.
The deal will be in the region of $7.5 million with another $1 million in potential add-ons and a sell-on clause, those sources say.
GO FURTHER
Brandon Vazquez close to CF Monterrey move
Colorado Rapids nearing deal to sign Djordje Mihailovic for club-record fee
The Colorado Rapids are nearing a deal to sign U.S. men’s national team attacking midfielder Djordje Mihailovic from AZ Alkmaar, sources briefed on negotiations tell The Athletic. The Rapids will look to finalize the agreement in the coming days.
Colorado will pay a club-record transfer fee north of $3 million to AZ for Mihailovic, who will be a designated player (DP). Mihailovic still needs to complete a medical before the deal can go official. AZ Alkmaar announced Tuesday that Mihailovic would be absent from the first team as he awaited a transfer out of the club.
GO FURTHER
Rapids nearing deal to sign USMNT's Mihailovic
USMNT center back Miles Robinson signs with FC Cincinnati
FC Cincinnati has signed U.S. national team center back Miles Robinson, sources briefed on the deal tell The Athletic.
Robinson is considered the top MLS free agent available after his contract with Atlanta United expired following the 2023 season, and as such represents an important signing for the reigning Supporters’ Shield champions.
GO FURTHER
Miles Robinson signs with FC Cincinnati: Sources
D.C. United close to naming Troy Lesesne as next head coach
D.C. United is nearing a deal to name Troy Lesesne their next head coach, sources briefed on the talks told The Athletic.
Lesesne spent the majority of 2023 as head coach of the New York Red Bulls, promoted from being an assistant in May when Gerhard Struber left. The rising coach guided the Red Bulls to an MLS-record 14th straight postseason berth with a 10W-9L-4D record. The Red Bulls did not renew his contract for 2024.
GO FURTHER
D.C. United close to naming Troy Lesesne their next head coach
Portland Timbers acquire Kamal Miller in trade with Inter Miami
The Portland Timbers have acquired Canadian international center back Kamal Miller in a trade with Inter Miami, sources briefed on the deal said.
Miami will receive $625,000 in general allocation money (GAM) and an international roster spot, plus another $150,000 GAM in performance-based incentives, the sources said.
GO FURTHER
Portland Timbers acquire Kamal Miller in trade with Inter Miami
Post a Comment