Sunday, August 31, 2014

Euro Transfer Deadline Day - MLS players involved

Source: Benfica have given a call back to the league office to see their interest in a Michael Bradley loan. Source says a loan in August is not in the cards but if they're still interested in January, they will have to pay "premium loan fee" to have him for the winter period.

Jermaine Defoe to QPR? @Ewingsports on twitter says the firing of Toronto coach Ryan Nelsen could convince him to leave. 

(UPDATE 1): @KurtLarSUN: Bezbatchenko says TFC has received an offer for Defoe. "We're in talks ... We have a relationship with Jermain...No decision has been made."

(UPDATE 2): QPR have submitted a bid for Defoe while MLS Transfers has also learned that Hull City has presented an offer for the striker. It is unknown if it is for a full transfer or loan. More information to follow.

Here's John Molinaro reporting QPR have submitted a $11 million bid:

@JohnMolinaro: Source tells me QPR has offered #TFC 11 million $ for Defoe. Bez won't confirm which club has made offer.

(UPDATE 3) Jermaine Deofe to QPR seems to be almost done. Player is in Engalnd says @KristianJack.

(UPDATE 4) Getting the impression from multiple sources that QPR's offer may be too low. Issue will be revisited in the coming hours. In the meantime, TFC FO are trying to convince Defoe to stay with the club.

(UPDATE 5) Newcastle, West Ham and Sunderland all linked with Defoe now according to Goal.com report: http://bit.ly/1lE7xTi. Still time left in the window.

(UPDATE 6) Source tells MLS Transfers that QPR interest has almost vanished overnight. No new bid submitted. It seems like they have bowed out of the race for Defoe.

(UPDATE 7) Could Leicester City make a shock move today for Omar Gonzalez? Source says should they let go of one of their CB's today, they could make a call to the MLS league office. Gonzalez is currently making $1.25 million and Leicester City's strict wage cut off is at $1.6 million. Would be hard to convince him to join a relegation threatened side but Leicester have made it clear he is in their top CB purchase list. 

(UPDATE 8) Information on Tim Cahill: Millwall is the team interested in him but don't have the funds to bring the player in. No move is expected this window.

(UPDATE 9) Bradley Wright Philips to England? Still a possibility says a source close to the situation in England. That club? Blackpool. Strapped with cash, they could make a last ditch effort for the Red Bulls forward and have made contact in the past two weeks with MLS/New York.

(UPDATE 10) Cahill to Italy? Source from overseas says Cahill has stated that a move to Italy could be in the cards. Stay tuned. 

(UPDATE 11) The latest on Defoe: Source says Defoe was never strongly considered for Arsenal and he will not be signing with them. Hull City and QPR offers were REJECTED. Neither club has come back with another offer an multiple sources believe QPR are out of the race all together. Sky Sports is reporting Leicester City may have snuck themselves in the race. Sunderland and Newcastle still haven't submitted an official bid. 

(UPDATE 12) Leicester City asking TFC if Defoe would be interested via Sky Sports.

(UPDATE 13) QPR's Harry Redknapp telling Sky Sports that Defoe is "still a possibility" 

(UPDATE 14) @KurtLarSUN: BREAKING: @TheTorontoSun can confirm that Jermain Defoe will remain at TFC after rejecting multiple bids.

@KurtLarSUN: Toronto FC had "one hell of an offer" from an EPL club, a well-place source told the Sun. But Defoe will return to BMO Field.

(UPDATE 15) Sky Sports reporting Defoe and QPR are not done! Borini has hit a stumbling block, and they're still in need for a striker. Tony Fernandes: "There's a will from both sides to do something.." Sounds like Toronto might not want to release him now but in January!

(UPDATE 16) Benfica look likely to call Toronto back in January for Bradley loan.

(UPDATE 17) More on Defoe staying with Toronto   http://www.torontosun.com/2014/09/01/jermain-defoe-to-remain-at-toronto-fc

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Omar has interest from Mexico and England

Sources overseas have confirmed to MLS Transfers that Omar Gonzalez has multiple clubs overseas interested in the World Cup player.

Leicester City have made some sort of contact with MLS on the availability of the player as has Mexican side Cruz Azul, who have been tracking the player for more than a year. 

What could be a hold up point  is Omar's salary. Sources say Leicester have made it a club policy to have all players on less than $1.6 million a season and from all indications, it seems that Omar won't leave LA for a relegation side unless he gets a big pay raise from his $1.25 million guaranteed in MLS.

This is where Cruz Azul can come into play although, they are not looking to pay the transfer fee set by MLS. Sources indicate that the fee is anywhere from $3.5-5 million.

Source: Gonzalez deal to Palermo not done yet

A report has surfaced that Columbus Crew's Giancarlo Gonzalez is on his way to Italy to take a physical for his new club, Palermo. 

A source, who has confided to MLS Transfers about Palermo's interest in Gonzalez throughout the summer says that this interest has been growing over the past few months but can not confirm if the defender is on his way to Italy.

Originally wanting Costa Rican attacker Bryan Ruiz, they set their sights on Gonzalez to help their current crop of CB's during their Serie A campaign. They made contact with MLS 7 weeks ago about interest in Gonzalez and have been silent since. Fulham interest and a bid have come and gone. Once the Fulham bid was denied and went public, Palermo had started pulling together funds for the player. 

More information to come. 

(UPDATE) Giancarlo Gonzalez has agreed to personal terms. Deal is expected to go through. 

(UPDATE 2) Marseille were another club late in the picture, made themselves interested in the past 48 hours as they are desperate for CB help. 

(UPDATE 3) Multiple reports saying Gonzalez will be sold for $5 million. Columbus paid $500,000 not long ago. Source says Palermo knew it needed to get the deal done in a short window and wanted to put in an offer in that "wouldn't have the chance to be disputed".

Marseille NEVER put in bid for player but had informed some close contacts to Giancarlo that they were interested. 

(UPDATE 4, 8/25/14) Source says Palermo will be paying MLS in 3 installments of $1.65 million over the next 6 months totaling the official transfer fee to 4.95 million, just shy of the $5 million reported. 

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Report: Tandir moves to Sacramento, USMNT has eyes on him

Ismar Tandir has completed his move from Sochuax to Sacramento Republic this week with one goal in mind, to get more minutes.

His move comes on the heels of Sacramento making their case for a MLS franchise during the All Star break. That allure alone has fueled higher caliber players to start taking the California club more serious. 

The former Red Bull academy player has most recently represented the Bosnian U-21 national team and an insider says has gotten a call from US Soccer Youth Technical Director and current full national team Assistant coach Tab Ramos about playing a role for the USA in the future.

In the meantime, watch this kid grow. He could be the next big thing in MLS.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Marseille want in on North American talent

Sources have confirmed to MLS Transfers that French club Marseille are ready to cash in on the relatively low transfer value of North and Central American players, with scouts located in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Well before CONCACAF's incredible World Cup run, Marseille had a plan to start scouting in places not many of their Ligue 1 rivals were. Because ownership has pulled back spending, they are in the market for young, (and over time) high value players.

One of the players taking notice is 22 year old Harry Shipp. Shipp was scouted most recently in the All Star Homegrown Game on August 4th. There are more plans to see the youngster in action August 30th as the Fire take on FC Dallas. 

While no other names have been confirmed, expect more players throughout the top leagues in the America's to be evaluated in the coming months.