The Official Major League Soccer Thread

[LittleOzzy]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/KurtLarSUN/status/562296380702859264[/tweet]

No idea what NYRB's are doing this season.

[LittleOzzy]

Udinese's Antonio Di Natale reportedly receives offer from MLS team

One of the Italian Serie A's most lethal goal scorers could be on his way to MLS.

Udinese striker Antonio Di Natale, who has 188 goals in 350 appearances with the club, is reportedly contemplating a move to North America after a long career in Italy.

According to a report in the Italian soccer blog GianlucaDimarzio.com, before the close of the European transfer window on Monday there was an MLS club which made an offer for the former Italian national team striker, who was the Serie A’s leading scorer in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. The report claims it was a two-year, $8 million deal, but it does not name a team.

The 37-year-old Di Natale, who has 42 career caps and 11 goals for the Italian national team, has previously indicated that the current Serie A campaign would be his final one with the bianconeri of Udinese.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2 ... r-mls-team

Dude it old, but I'm guessing it's Montreal that is interested.

[LittleOzzy]

Colorado Rapids sign 21-year-old Argentine midfielder Juan Ramirez as Designated Player

The Colorado Rapids appear to be close to adding a second Designated Player, with the Denver Post reporting early on Tuesday morning that the club has signed 21-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder Juan Ramirez from Buenos Aires club Argentinos Juniors.

The Post reported that the Rapids will pay Argentinos Juniors a transfer fee in excess of $2 million for Ramirez, who has five goals in 73 appearances with Argentinos Juniors since turning pro in the 2010-11 season at the age of 17.

The Rapids recently signed another Argentine, adding 23-year-old midfielder Lucas Pittinari from Argentine Primera club Belgrano on Saturday. Colorado made another move on Monday, releasing English defender Zat Knight in a transaction that freed up an international slot that could potentially be used on Ramirez.

According to the Post, in addition to bringing in Ramirez, Colorado are looking to sign a more established goal threat before they kick off their regular season slate on March 7 at Philadelphia.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2 ... ramirez-de

[magik9113]

Rumor in Italy is that Di Natale's offer came from a New York team. Dude certainly is old, but he's still better than Di Vaio was when he came to MLS, and Di Vaio did fairly well.

[LittleOzzy]

Rumor in Italy is that Di Natale's offer came from a New York team. Dude certainly is old, but he's still better than Di Vaio was when he came to MLS, and Di Vaio did fairly well.

Rumours are that both the New York Red Bulls and New York Cosmos have been in contact with him.

I doubt his poor agent knows that the Cosmos are in a tier two league, haha.

[ForeverTFC]

Sounds like the Cosmos.

[LittleOzzy]

Former France captain, West Ham midfielder Alou Diarra joins Chicago Fire on trial

A preseason trip across the Atlantic has given the Chicago Fire a convenient opportunity to take a closer look at a World Cup veteran.

Former France captain Alou Diarra joined the Fire's camp on trial on Sunday, a team spokesperson confirmed to MLSsoccer.com following a report in L'Equipe linking the free agent with the MLS side.

According to the report, Diarra also has interest from Ligue 2 side Sochaux following trials at Brighton & Hove Albion and AS Nancy. He has been without a club since parting ways with West Ham in July 2014.

The Fire played to a scoreless draw against Norwich City on Thursday, and will take on Queens Park Rangers on Feb. 12 before returning to the United States to take part in the Simple Invitational in Portland.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2 ... o-fire-tri

[LittleOzzy]

Philadelphia Union announce loan acquisition of Benfica center back Steven Vitoria

The Philadelphia Union announced on Monday the acquisition of defender Steven Vitoria on loan from Benfica of Portugal’s Primeira Liga, pending receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate.

The loan, coming just days after the Union loaned defender Carlos Valdes to Uruguayan side Nacional, will be for the duration of the 2015 MLS regular season with an option to buy at year’s end. Per club and league policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We’re excited to bring Steven in and feel he is an excellent fit for the club,” Union technical director Chris Albright said in a team release. “He has the ability and experience to make an instant impact for us and is a player we’re expecting big things from.”

Vitoria, who turned 28 in January, has spent the past 18 months with Benfica. A 6-foot-5 center back, Vitoria was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, but has spent his entire professional career playing in Portugal. He represented Portugal at the youth level at the 2006 UEFA U-19 Championship and at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

“I’m thrilled with the opportunity to join Philadelphia Union,” Vitoria said in the release. “I’m ready to come in and contribute any way I can to help this club win games.”

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2 ... teven-vito

[kdawg32086]

Would be awesome to see Di Natale here in the US, but it would be hilarious if he ends up with the Cosmos. I'm sure the Cosmos are probably telling him "Pele played for us." HAHA

[LittleOzzy]

Would be awesome to see Di Natale here in the US, but it would be hilarious if he ends up with the Cosmos. I'm sure the Cosmos are probably telling him "Pele played for us." HAHA

Yup, makes me wonder how little they are telling players about the league.

[LittleOzzy]

FC Dallas sign midfielder Fabian Castillo to new five-year contract

FC Dallas locked up one of their most important players long term on Tuesday, signing 22-year-old midfielder Fabian Castillo to a new five-year contract that will keep him in Dallas through the 2019 season.

Per league and club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Castillo thrived under first-year Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja in 2014, breaking out with 10 goals and four assists in 27 regular season games. The Colombian attacker set career highs in goals, minutes played (2,282), games started (26), shots (74) and shots on goal (32), helping FCD to the playoffs and earning team MVP honors following the season.

“We’re very excited to have secured the services of Fabian Castillo for the future,” FC Dallas technical director Fernando Clavijo said in a statement. “He is the future of this franchise. He is a player we have been able to help grow. We also believe he has yet to achieve his full potential. FC Dallas has a more mature and complete player in Fabian today than we did a few years ago, but each year he remains with FC Dallas, the better he will become.”

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2 ... r-contract

[LittleOzzy]

Champions League vet, Finnish int'l Halsti fitting right in with DC

With his visa secured, his contract sorted out and a week of Florida-based training under his belt, D.C. United midfielder/defender Markus Halsti arrived in the District of Columbia on Saturday afternoon and very quickly did what any newcomer to the nation’s capital does: He hit the National Mall.

“I went sightseeing – by walking,” Halsti told MLSsoccer.com the following day, in between frames of an impromptu bowling session at United’s annual season ticket holder meet-and-greet. "Maybe that’s not the best idea; a bike would be nice. I was walking like 14 kilometers. I want to experience this city, that’s one reason I’ve come to MLS and to D.C. I know it’s a new culture for me, but that’s nothing I’m afraid of."

The Finnish international and UEFA Champions League veteran arrives at United just months after leading Swedish side Malmo FF to back-to-back Allsvenskan championships. Acquired in early January, Halsti brings some much-needed versatility to Ben Olsen’s squad; he can play center back, center mid and has made occasional appearances at outside back as well.

“Halsti has fit right in both on and off the field,” said Olsen. "We were pretty confident in what we were getting with him, and he’s been exactly what we wanted. Super professional, knows our system – it was similar to what he was playing [at Malmo] – and each day he’s been getting more comfortable with the guys and more comfortable on the field.”

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2 ... en-exactly


Michael Farfan making return to MLS, signs with DC United after season at Cruz Azul

The club announced Tuesday they have signed the American midfielder, who played for three seasons with the Philadelphia Union before making a move to Liga MX club Cruz Azul last season, via the league's allocation ranking order.

The 26-year-old San Diego native who played collegiate soccer at North Carolina and Cal State Fullerton was selected 23rd overall in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft by the Union. He was a Rookie of the Year finalist that year and made 82 regular season appearances (66 starts) from 2011-13, scoring four goals and tallying nine assists. He also played in the MLS All-Star Game at PPL Park in 2012.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2 ... -cruz-azul

[LittleOzzy]

Las Vegas no longer in consideration for MLS expansion until after 2018



Vegas is out... Looks like expansion is down to Sacramento, Minneapolis, San Antonio, St. Louis and Miami.

[kdawg32086]

Hopefully many of you have seen the most recent Mass Dispatch by now...

I know Ozzy, 5DOM, and I are excited, but who else is ready for the new MLS forum?

[J-Mezzy]

I am. I think it will be a success.

[LittleOzzy]

I'm thrilled that MLS will have it's own forum before the start of the season.

Hopefully it does well, and we start to attract more MLS fans to RealGM.

[edfmx86]

Im excited. I look forward to seeing it grow!

[LittleOzzy]

Speaking of the new forum, it will launch in just a few weeks. Sometime before the season starts.

Does anyone have any ideas on what they would like to see in the MLS Forum?

Each team will have their own thread, but what else is needed?

[J-Mezzy]

I think a game thread, transfer thread, a general MLS news thread, maybe a U.S soccer thread, and a CONCACAF thread.

[edfmx86]

Id love to see a US Open Cup, CONCACAF CL, and a General Lower Division thread. With the addition of seven MLS owned teams joining the newly branded USL, I'll definitely be keeping an eye on Monarchs SLC. Im even thinking about season tickets. The only thing holding me back is the fact that I'd have to commit to going to the RioT every week this summer. Every week. I love the game but it'd feel more like a second job at some point.