The MLS Secondary Transfer Window closes in a week (Aug. 4). The rosters don’t yet freeze, but it’s essentially the last chance teams have to make meaningful changes to their squads for the 2022 season.
It should be a busy week. Here’s what to keep an eye on.
D.C. United’s summer has been marked by constant change.
- Wayne Rooney was appointed manager, and will officially take over once he is approved for a work visa
- Designated Player Edison Flores transferred out
- Leading chance creator Julian Gressel traded to Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Ravel Morrison signed
- Miguel Berry acquired in a trade from Columbus Crew
- Just signed Iceland int’l d-mid Victor Palsson from FC Schalke as a DP
- Working on a deal for another DP
- Reportedly acquire David Ochoa in a trade with Real Salt Lake
It’s a lot to take in for the current last place team in the Eastern Conference. D.C. United are shaking up the foundation with the goal of moving forward in a better direction.
The top of that DP search is Elijah Adebayo from Luton Town, according to the Washington Post. He’d cost more than $5 million. The English center forward has 21g/6a in 58 appearances in the Championship.
“It’s not the time for Elijah to venture to America," Luton Town manager Nathan Jones said, via the BBC. "… Elijah’s next step should be looking at the Premier League. Unless we get a substantial Premier League offer, Elijah will continue to play for Luton Town."
All indications are that Rooney wants to play a 4-2-3-1. If Adebayo (or another forward arrives), they’ll have a logjam up top with Michael Estrada, Ola Kamara and the recently-acquired Berry all there. Kamara has been on the trading block all season, while Estrada hasn’t scored since May. The Ecuador international is on loan from Liga MX side Toluca.
Additionally, D.C. had a deal for German attacking midfielder Sonny Kittel fall through at the last moment earlier this window. Kittel would have been a DP. Does this mean they’re looking for another attacking midfielder? Will Morrison play there or deeper? Where does Taxi Fountas fit in, as a second striker or on the wing? Palsson can be bought down in the winter. What happens with the final DP spot? Can they re-sign Ochoa?
Austin FC have room for another DP, after mutually agreeing to a contract termination with Cecilio Dominguez. Dominguez hadn’t played for the club in months. Austin soared towards the top of the Supporters’ Shield standings without one of their DPs.
They are very likely to reload.
Austin are, reportedly, “99%” done with the $4 million acquisition of Emiliano Rigoni from Sao Paulo. The 29-year-old winger will add another quality attacker to the group. He also previously played with Landon Donovan MLS MVP frontrunner Sebastian Driussi.
Rigoni, 29, has played in the top flights of Russia, Italy, Spain, Argentina and Brazil. With Sao Paulo he has 13g/9a in 70 appearances.
Keep an eye on this. Exciting times in Austin.
The trade market was extremely active in the winter, with new price points set.
Paul Arriola was acquired by FC Dallas for a league-record $2 million General Allocation Money (GAM). He broke a record set a month prior in Lewis Morgan’s trade to the New York Red Bulls for $1.2 million GAM. Kellyn Acosta went to LAFC for $1.1 million GAM + another $400,000 GAM in add-ons.
There have been some big ones this summer already. Mark-Anthony Kaye arrived at Toronto FC for a total package of around $2 million in assets – including $1.025 million in GAM, Ralph Priso, an international slot and a first-round MLS SuperDraft pick. Gressel was traded for up to $900,000 GAM. Just this morning news broke of Ochoa's trade to D.C.
While there are likely to be more trades, do we have any big ones left out there?
There has been smoke around LAFC being open to offers for Chicho Arango. If a trade were to happen, it’d almost certainly set a new league record for allocation money involved in a trade.
Toronto FC remain a team to watch. Ayo Akinola has been floated in trade talks, while Jacob Shaffelburg has been the subject of offers.
Minnesota United FC still have two starting-caliber goalkeepers, with Tyler Miller now the second choice behind Canadian international Dayne St. Clair.
Already had to delete sections on the Portland Timbers to sign Colombian youth international Juan David Mosquera and Houston Dynamo FC to sign winger Nelson Quinones, because those deals have been announced.
Real Salt Lake technically have all three DP spots filled, but can buy down Sergio Cordova (which they would do first) and Damir Kreilach (which they could do in the very unlikely scenario that two DPs are signed this week.)
RSL had chased a deal for Colombian international defensive midfielder Gustavo Cuellar for many months and had continued to this summer, but that is looking unlikely at this moment. He would have been a DP.
The club continue to work on other targets. They are also working through U22 Initiative targets, with all three slots open.
After transferring Adrien Hunou to Angers, Minnesota United opened a DP spot. They made a couple of bids to sign South Korean int’l Hwang Ui-Jo from Bordeaux — the last of which at $5 million — but moved on.
The club are working on a deal for Mender Garcia, a winger, and there's no word on what kind of budget hit he’d be. They also were active in trade talks to sign Miguel Berry, but D.C. United ultimately agreed to a deal with the Columbus Crew.
Minnesota are in talks to sign Mexico international Jonathan Gonzalez from CF Monterrey, per a source, but nothing is imminent yet. Gonzalez, 23, was a US youth international rising talent before switching to Mexico, where he’s made three senior caps.
Please give me two days before re-asking Luis Suarez to MLS questions, I beg of you. Direct all questions to Andrew Wiebe.
Charlotte FC have an open DP spot and have been intent on adding a Young DP as a No. 10.
The club are chasing improvements, but aren’t desperate to add a DP just for the sake of adding one right now. A deal will only happen if the right target and right price materializes. If not, they’re content on waiting till the winter window.
Charlotte have been chasing a deal for US men's national team and former Sporting Kansas City midfielder Gianluca Busio, but he is closing in on a new contract to stay with Venezia.
The club are also making some changes to the roster after the coaching change. Several players signed with a strong influence by Miguel Ramirez — Titi Ortiz, Alan Franco — have already departed.
Charlotte are 8th in the East, two points below the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs line.
At the beginning of July, reports came out of the Netherlands that the Red Bulls were interested in striker Dylan Vente from Roda, in the Dutch second tier.
Sources say that pursuit is still active, as head of sport Jochen Schneider was in Europe recently with Vente part of the agenda. But time is running out. With MLS’s transfer window closing in a week but Europe’s staying open for another month, it’s tough.
Vente, 23, is coming off a career year, with 23 goals in 38 appearances last season.
He would add further options to play center forward, alongside DP Patryk Klimala, Tom Barlow and Omir Fernandez, who is naturally an attacking midfielder.
Wait. Wrong sport, carry on. BING BONG.
This obviously isn’t restrained by the MLS Secondary Transfer window closing next weeks, but at time of writing, Chelsea still haven’t submitted an official offer for Gaga Slonina.
I reported more than six weeks ago now that Chelsea were closing in on a deal, ahead of Real Madrid. I thought then that a deal would be ironed out soon. But that hasn’t happened. Fabrizio Romano reported there was a verbal agreement reached more than two weeks ago. So, all that would be waiting is an official bid to get the deal done.
Still no official bid. Sources are confident it will get done. No rush anyway, given Slonina would be staying in Chicago until the winter at least as part of any agreement.
Another one that isn’t beholden to MLS’s transfer deadline, but is nonetheless on topic.
European clubs, more and more, are aware of the talent and potential of MLS talents. In speaking with scouts and executives from Europe, the push is to sign these players as early as possible, to aid in the development and (hopefully) keep the cost down.
There will continue to be surprises in terms of whether or not we view a player as “ready” or “likely” to move to Europe. Right now, rising Canadian international talent Ismael Kone has been linked with a move to Europe. Norwich City pushed to sign him, and reportedly had a $5 million deal agreed with CF Montréal, but apparently contract talks broke down.
In the winter, Chelsea (and other Premier League clubs) pushed to sign Slonina. Bryan Reynolds was the subject of an $8.5 million transfer to Roma after about 15 MLS starts. Both of those deals felt “early”.
Will there be any others over the next month? Only time will tell.
