Daily news roundups

News roundup: Haris Medujanin to FC Cincinnati, Balotelli to MLS, Seattle Reign for sale

Photo: Earl Gardner

Philadelphia Union

Haris Medunjanin was selected by FC Cincinnati in the 2019 wavier draft. 

Is Alejandro Bedoya a bona fide “Philly guy”?

Ernst Tanner says there is room for improvement in his acquisition strategy. 

MLS

Bradley Wright Phillips and Luis Robles are out. Now Kemar Lawrence wants out of New York.

Will Mario Balotelli and Jozy Altidore be strike partners?

Is Ezequiel Barco ready to make the jump to Europe?

Speaking of Bradley Wright Phillips, is it time to hang up his boots? 

Is another Liga MX star heading to MLS?

World

Will the Seattle Reign have a new owner soon? 

PSG says Kylian Mbappe won’t go to Real Madrid anytime soon. 

Maybe you shouldn’t use a Nazi greeting on TV. 

Could Russia be banned from the next World Cup? 

How an app is helping to find the next Lionel Messi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 Comments

  1. Have to admit that I would be more than a little giddy at a Kacper – Mario pairing…. With all of that hard work Kacper does, have to believe Mario would love playing with him …. Oh to dream.

    Though I’d also love to have Lawrence, after reading that article, not at that price point…..

    • The Mario from Serie A I’d like to see in a Union jersey is Mario Mandzukic. Yes, he’s older than Balotelli, but I think he’d blend better with an MLS club. Balotelli’s almost too big for the Union, if that makes any sense. I think Mandzukic can do a pretty good job still.

      I do hope Balotelli finds a good home where he won’t have to suffer racist fools full time. Italy has been particularly poor on that count.

  2. Dan C (formerly of 103) says:

    Only one week?

  3. Phil in Wilmington says:

    For that money, I think we’d be better off making offers to Jeff Larentowicz and Sacha Klestjan for depth over a big ticket player that most Phiadlepahians won’t exactly know or appreciate. Montreal, LA, or Miami would be ideal places for Balotelli, and I’ll buy the ticket to see himn play when he comes to town.

    But he’s a striker that we don’t really have the budget for and we play a system that has shown doesn’t really need a playerof his type.

    While we’re talking silly season moves… I’d also love to see Aaronson, Blake, and Elliot get overseas moves for modest money.

    Don’t fight me. Hear me out.

    if last year’s season is an expression of a long-term blueprint: impressive academy players that “hit” mixed with a few “spine” players of upper middle budget value (Bedoya) and a few world market “finds” (Przybylko, Wagner) to make a squad that is a string “team” that is a regular playoff appearer and )if the schedule and conditions are just right) have a puncher’s chance at the MLS cup… I’m okay with that.

    It’s not a model or a budget to be a perennial favorite, but I can get behind that if the team plays well week to week and if the club is a springboard for academy players or “Philly made” players to move on to ever greater things. Watching someone like Aaronson or Mckenzie play in The Champions League one day would be as big a win in my mind as seeing them in MLS Cup playoffs… maybe even a bigger win, TBH.

    • I think it’s too soon for Aaronson and they can probably get a lot more for him in 2 or 3 years.

    • Not the biggest fan of selling a McKenzie or Aaronson barring the kind of offer that’s unlikely to come along. Both seem like they’re going to be worth more to Philadelphia than the kind of overseas offer they could get right now.

      That said, I’m intrigued by the idea of going for a reliable MLS vet like Klejstan or Rowe in the midfield if Tanner doesn’t have another diamond in the rough to uncover. The Union have a decent set of pieces and I’d rather they bolster the club than try for another high risk/reward signing like Ballotelli. Last year, I think it made more sense, but this time I think the team needs to build more conservatively because after this season it’s clear the Union have a good foundation in place.

  4. Very intriguing comments from Tanner about the mysterious super-secret data (link near the top of this article).
    .
    Let the speculation begin.

    • interesting if he’s a proprietary formula or communication pipeline that helps find players. whatever it is, we’ll find out it’s success

  5. Tanner better improve on his strategy, so far Fabian was a bust, Wooten has not shown hustle or technical skills,but he has shown acumen eg Monteiro, Wagner. So will he go for Balotelli, difficult player to have but if he can find a deal he should do it. I would trade Blake and move Freese to start.

  6. I hope Balotelli gets to move to MLS because the racism he has faced in Italy is absolutely outrageous and he deserves far better.

    But, having said that… this would not be the move I want the Union to make. He is too mercurial and would cost too much. For that amount, they could probably get themselves a killer #6 AND a winger.

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