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Philadelphia Union
The Union and the Sounders are interested in a 20-year-old Venezuelan midfielder, who has played for the national team.
The Sons of Ben invited Jason Kelce of the Eagles to the Union’s season opener against the New England Revolution on March 3rd.
Bethlehem Steel
Omar Holness acquired a green card. The Jamican-born player no longer occupies an international roster spot.
Local
New Jersey Copa FC’s center midfielder Gerald Cubero will play for a second season.
It’s never too early to start planning for the next Unity Cup! The first general info session is tonight.
Lehigh Valley United tryouts are on March 3rd and 7th.
MLS
Five MLS narratives to follow in ’18.
TFC signed goalkeeper Caleb Patterson-Sewell, who the Red Bulls once owned.
USWNT
Jill Ellis announced preliminary roster for next month’s SheBelieves Cup.
Around the globe
Real Madrid pummeled PSG, 3-1.
Juventus and Tottenham drew, 2-2.
Liverpool over Porto, 5-0.
French female football players ended their short strike.
Italian soccer team Palermo has been fined $12,000 after an ice cream cone was thrown at the referee by a fan.
Prosecutors are after ManU’s Ander Herrera for 2011 match-fixing. If found guilty will he give in to theatrics like on the pitch when a player brushes past him?
Has Premier League TV bubble burst?
Highlight of the day
Oooooh, that’s gotta hurt!
Great news about the academy budget. Doesn’t mean we can’t also spend on the current actaul team, but that’s still good news.
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The Venezuelan smells like a Union move, not too expensive, but who cares, he’s a young guy Who might be able to make plays, get him in.
To be clear, he has one goal in his entire career, and is not THE answer for the Union, but we Still should be bringing in quality young players especially for (relatively) cheap. Disappointed not to get a legit star #10, but please get someone who is an upgrade.
Looks like he was thought to have a ton of potential only last year with a decent transfer but then never played. I mean I have never seen him play before or anything but there could be something there. Young too which is nice. But I was also hoping for a stud there but this is the Union….
One goal and one assist in < 1,000 minutes played. I'd hope if the interest were there that he'd be a player we scouted (do we have any of those?) and not a deal made through an agent we know. If Sounders are interested, that boosts my confidence in the kid a bit. Last Trasnfrmarkt value was just < 600,000 Euros or just < $750,000. That's big money by Union standards. To be honest, I've given up on this team actually bringing in any help at the position before the season starts, so any signing would be a surprise for me.
If you just take a quick look at his FIFA rating (for whatever it’s worth), it suggests that he is just in line with what we have there already (Najem and Fontana). So, he might just end up being just another body and not solving any problems. But if it’s between him and signing nobody, you have to TRY something, don’t you?
I also use the FIFA rating to gauge unknown players, just view it as a rough scouting report. He’s got 77 potential. If he fulfilled that, he’s a very very good MLS player. So maybe finding these types of guys before they get the attention of an Almiron or Barco is the way for the Union to afford dipping into the young South American market like we all wish they would (could). In our current situation, I’d be excited to see the club take a shot on him. At the least, it would demonstrate trying something different for once.
Good point, eggman. I do recall the twitter rumors say specifically that it would be a loan with NO option to buy though.
Didn’t/doesn’t MLS stipulate that all incoming loans must contain a buy option?
CP, last time I heard, yes they do.
I wouldn’t be too worried about a loan without a guaranteed option to buy. Nacional are in the business of selling young players and constantly turning their roster over. If he bombs out, we walk away. If he does well, they would still sell. Guess the worry there is would the Union offer $1-2 million to bring him permanently, or cheap out. They said they would be willing to spend a bit on the right player. If he played well and the U cheaped out on making an offer, then Sugarman loses any shrivel of credibility he has left, and I could see ES walking away. …ok ok let’s actually get him in on loan first. 🙂
The Academy news is welcomed. Richie Graham finances the Academy – and I wish he could have bought Sugarman out. We’d be in a hell of a lot better position.
Exactly. I feel like this doesn’t get talked about enough. I believe Graham comes from a billionaire family (https://phillysoccerpage.net/2015/10/29/off-podium-union-minority-owner-richie-graham/) and likely may have the assets & desire to spend big.
Looks like Ilsinho and Mbaizo were both hurt in the game yesterday. No idea how bad though.
Ilsinho got hurt?!?! NO SHIT… In other news, the sun came up today.
Google “Philadelphia Union Sound Cloud”. Curtin’s conference call from earlier today is there. I forget when he discusses Ilsinho, but he does. Nick Fishman asked the question.
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Does not sound trivial. Listen for yourself.
Of more interest in a way is Curtin’s discussion of Matt Real. With Mbaizo’s knock, as I type, the next left back in the organization is in the Academy.
To be fair, bringing anyone in at this point – especially on the cheaper side – is a welcome addition. It’s not like they can get worse at the 10 spot.