MLS off season Truths and Rumors in US and Major League Soccer from Football.co.uk

papa5murf · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 5:54 pm

12 December Rumors

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D.C. United working deals
Posted: Wednesday December 12, 2007 05:16AM ET

D.C. United's decision-makers have spent considerable time this offseason pursuing Latin American players, most notably Juan Sebastian Veron. But while they attempt to finalize a deal with the Argentine superstar this week, their first order of business might be two major goalkeeping moves. According to sources close to the club, United is on the brink of selling veteran starter Troy Perkins to an unidentified Norwegian team and has begun pursuing a replacement within MLS. Early yesterday, United appeared to have a tentative agreement in place to acquire Joe Cannon, two-time MLS goalie of the year, from the Galaxy as part of a multi-team trade that would have sent defender Bobby Boswell and financial considerations to FC Dallas. Los Angeles was set to reacquire prolific scorer Carlos Ruiz from Dallas, but by late afternoon the deal had collapsed.

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Three-team deal falls apart
Posted: Wednesday December 12, 2007 05:48AM ET

A three-club deal that would have returned FC Dallas striker Carlos Ruiz to the team where he began his MLS career fell through at the last minute. According to sources close to the league, FC Dallas and the Los Angeles Galaxy had agreed on exchanging Ruiz and goalkeeper Joe Cannon. D.C. United would have then traded 2006 MLS defender of the year Bobby Boswell to Dallas for Cannon. The package required the approval of a high-ranking league official, one of the sources said. However, the league was slow to act, and D.C. United balked.

papa5murf · Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2007 3:08 am

14 December Rumors

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MLS eyes Miami expansion
Posted: Friday December 14, 2007 07:05AM ET

Professional soccer might return to South Florida if the city of Miami's multibillion-dollar public works proposal comes to fruition. Major League Soccer president Mark Abbott spent Wednesday in Miami meeting with Mayor Manny Diaz and city commissioners, and said he left feeling ''very pleased'' with what he heard about plans for a 25,000-seat soccer stadium at the Orange Bowl site. The $100 million stadium would receive half of its funding from an MLS ownership group. Miami would not get an MLS team before 2010, Abbott said. Seattle is getting a team in 2009, and one other market likely would get a team ahead of Miami. Among the other markets MLS is considering for expansion: Atlanta, Las Vegas, Montreal, New York (a second team), Philadelphia, Portland, St. Louis and Vancouver.

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D.C. United in market for defender
Posted: Thursday December 13, 2007 06:37AM ET

D.C. United made the first major move in what is looking to be a busy offseason yesterday, trading popular defender Bobby Boswell to the two-time defending champion Houston Dynamo for goalkeeper Zach Wells and a 2009 conditional draft pick. United's pursuit of a goalkeeper stemmed from its imminent sale of veteran Troy Perkins to Norwegian club Valerenga. General Manager Dave Kasper said the sides have reached an agreement in principle on a transfer deal, and Perkins's agent, Patrick McCabe, said the player will travel to Oslo next week for a physical. With Boswell gone, United is expected to acquire an experienced defender through a trade or international signing. The club is also hoping to announce the signing of Argentine midfield star Juan Sebastian Veron but seems unlikely to retain Christian Gomez, whose contract expires this month.

papa5murf · Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 5:34 pm

21 December Rumors

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Salt Lake deals midfielder to Chivas
Posted: Friday December 21, 2007 06:37AM ET

Real Salt Lake traded midfielder Atiba Harris to Chivas USA, completing a deal for a third-round draft pick that had been in the works for weeks. In exchange for Harris, RSL obtained the 37th pick of the annual Major League Soccer SuperDraft on Jan. 18. That gives RSL four of the top 37 picks in the draft - Nos. 3, 14, 17 and 37 - as well as another open roster spot for an international player.

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United goalie's Valerenga transfer
Posted: Friday December 21, 2007 06:32AM ET

D.C. United officials expect goalkeeper Troy Perkins's transfer to Valerenga to be completed by this weekend, which raises the question: How much will United and MLS receive from the Norwegian club? I'm still trying to find out the financial details, but if Benfica paid $2.5 million for Freddy Adu, Fulham dished out $2.9 million for Clint Dempsey, Celtic offered $1 million for Shalrie Joseph and Odd Grenland (Norway) proposed $1 million for Taylor Twellman last winter, what is Perkins's value?

papa5murf · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 5:07 pm

3 January 2008

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Revolution midfielder to Scotland
Posted: Thursday January 03, 2008 05:58AM ET

There are positives and negatives about Andy Dorman's move from the Revolution to St. Mirren in Scotland. Dorman, who is expected to finalize a contract with the Scottish Premier League club this week, is the second attacking midfielder to move from the Revolution to Britain in a year. This indicates the Revolution are developing players of European-class quality. But it is also a bad sign for Major League Soccer that it could not come close to meeting the salary demands of Clint Dempsey, who went to Fulham FC on a $4 million transfer last January, or Dorman, who had earned a total of less than $120,000 in four seasons. Dorman's contract, a one-year deal with a year option, will be worth nearly $400,000 with bonuses. That is the equivalent of MLS's top salaries, excluding designated players such as David Beckham and Cuauhtemoc Blanco.

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Trade interest in United's Gomez
Posted: Thursday January 03, 2008 06:36AM ET

D.C. United expects to talk with Christian Gomez's representatives next week in hopes of reaching a deal. "I think he's looking at all his options," Kasper said. Gomez is out of contract and free to sign anywhere in the world. One MLS club had also expressed interest in trading for his rights.

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San Jose negotiating with defender
Posted: Thursday January 03, 2008 06:41AM ET

Defender Clarence Goodson and San Jose are in negotiations over a new contract, but in case a deal is not reached, his representatives have begun the process of exploring opportunities in Germany and Scandanavia.

papa5murf · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 4:13 pm

4 January 2008

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Columbus player seeks exit
Posted: Friday January 04, 2008 06:09AM ET

Reports out of Argentina have Guillermo Barros-Schelotto wanting out of the Columbus Crew to play for Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata in his native Argentina.

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D.C. United starter to miss '08
Posted: Friday January 04, 2008 06:11AM ET

D.C. United midfielder Josh Gros, a starter most of his four MLS seasons, will not play this year after suffering three head injuries in 2007. "He does not plan to play the 2008 season due to the effects of his many concussions," Dan Segal, Gros's agent, wrote in an e-mail yesterday. "He has made no other decisions about the future." United had anticipated Gros's decision and began planning for this season without him. Gros, 25, has left open the possibility of a comeback in 2009 or beyond, but since the end of the season, accepted a job at an engineering firm.

papa5murf · Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:30 am

5 January 2008

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FC Dallas may sign Davino
Posted: Saturday January 05, 2008 09:48AM ET

FC Dallas will have a special visitor on hand for Sunday's return of the InterLiga tournament to Pizza Hut Park. Former Club America and Mexican national team defender Duilio Davino will watch his former club team take on league rival Toluca to open the second leg of the tournament in Frisco. Tito Echeverri, a soccer analyst in Mexico and a friend of Davino's family, said Friday that Davino was traveling to the area to sign with FC Dallas, though Hitchcock denied that a deal was in place.

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Latin Americans linked to MLS
Posted: Saturday January 05, 2008 09:25AM ET

Reports in Latin American media are linking MLS with Peruvian goalkeeper Jose Carvallo (Universitario de Deportes) and Mexican midfielder Said Godinez (Tecos).

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D.C. United to sign defender
Posted: Saturday January 05, 2008 09:22AM ET

The latest buzz on the D.C. United front is that the club is close to finalizing a deal with Gonzalo Peralta, a starting central defender for Club Almirante Brown in Argentina's second division.

papa5murf · Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 12:49 am

6 January 2008

Quote:

FC Dallas may sign Davino
Posted: Saturday January 05, 2008 09:48AM ET

FC Dallas will have a special visitor on hand for Sunday's return of the InterLiga tournament to Pizza Hut Park. Former Club America and Mexican national team defender Duilio Davino will watch his former club team take on league rival Toluca to open the second leg of the tournament in Frisco. Tito Echeverri, a soccer analyst in Mexico and a friend of Davino's family, said Friday that Davino was traveling to the area to sign with FC Dallas, though Hitchcock denied that a deal was in place.

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Toronto not ruling out DP slot
Posted: Sunday January 06, 2008 10:09AM ET

Given Toronto FC's rampant success at the box office you might think the young club would be looking to hold off on using its designated player slot. Think again. Toronto FC isn't ruling out using the DP slot in 2008, according to head coach Mo Johnston. Reports out of Canada suggest the club was going to sit on the slot this year but Johnston insists he has the go-ahead to land a marquee player if the team finds one this off-season.

papa5murf · Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 11:24 pm

7 January 2008

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Celtic after Chivas USA's Guzan?
Posted: Monday January 07, 2008 12:37PM ET

Chivas USA President Shawn Hunter confirmed on Friday that the team has received offers from multiple clubs in Europe for Brad Guzan, last season's Major League Soccer goalkeeper of the year. The latest European club to be rumored to be interested in Guzan is Scottish side Celtic. Hunter would not confirm that Celtic was one of the teams that made an offer for the goalie. Instead, Hunter said, "We have multiple offers from multiple teams."

papa5murf · Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:33 pm

8 January 2008

Quote:

Five teams chasing Johnson
Posted: Tuesday January 08, 2008 06:13AM ET

With the transfer period open in Europe, Kansas City striker Eddie Johnson is again the object of speculation involving at least five teams, according to published reports in Britain. Last summer Johnson appeared to be headed to Derby County, currently the last-place team in the Premier League, but the move fell through. Derby is still in the picture and could pay a record fee for a Major League Soccer player, surpassing the $4 million transfer fee the league received when it sold Clint Dempsey to Fulham last year.

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Frenchman not ready for MLS
Posted: Tuesday January 08, 2008 06:11AM ET

Mikael Silvestre said he liked the United States because everything is big. But apparently the soccer is not yet big enough to entice him to consider relocating across the Atlantic for anything more than a vacation. Silvestre, a Frenchman who is a defender for Manchester United, was in New York last week on the final leg of a family vacation with his wife, Severine, and their three young daughters. Asked if he would consider finishing his career in the United States, Silvestre said: "I'm a bit young to come here now, but I would like to play here perhaps someday. I like the American way of life. Everything here is big. I like America and England because in France, even though people think we are arrogant, in France there is jealousy all around you."

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Source: MLS declines Twellman bid
Posted: Tuesday January 08, 2008 05:31AM ET

Revolution all-time leading scorer Taylor Twellman has attracted a transfer bid of $1.675 million from Preston North End in England's second division, according to a Major League Soccer source. MLS declined the bid but Preston North End is considering raising the offer to $2 million.

papa5murf · Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:50 pm

9/10 January 2008

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Argentine forward seeks MLS deal
Posted: Thursday January 10, 2008 06:49AM ET

Argentina's Claudio Lopez said there is a 90 percent chance he will sign with an MLS team. Three MLS teams have expressed varying levels of interest in the 33-year-old forward, who has played in Italy, Spain and Mexico, and made 58 national team appearances. However, it would take designated player money to sign him, probably similar to Juan Pablo Angel's $1.6 million deal.

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D.C. to sign Argentine forward
Posted: Wednesday January 09, 2008 06:06AM ET

D.C. United is in the late stages of negotiations to acquire Argentine forward Franco Niell, sources familiar with the talks said yesterday. A month after Argentine superstar Juan Sebastian Veron spurned its offer, United is close to adding a lesser-known attacking player in the first of what could be several international signings. Team captain Jaime Moreno, the league's all-time leader in goals, and 2006 MLS MVP Christian Gomez, an Argentine midfielder, remain in contract negotiations with United.

papa5murf · Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 3:57 pm

14 January 2008

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Johnson negotiating with Fulham
Posted: Monday January 14, 2008 05:39AM ET

I hear Kansas City's Eddie Johnson has left U.S. national team camp in L.A. and is in serious negotiations with English club Fulham.

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Inside Cooper's Dallas discontent
Posted: Monday January 14, 2008 05:42AM ET

Here's why you are hearing rumblings of Kenny Cooper's discontent in Dallas, as explained by someone familiar with his travails: Cooper had a gentleman's agreement with MLS when he returned from England that if he did well in his first season, he would have the opportunity to renegotiate a better deal. After getting 11 goals and 4 assists, his father approached MLS about the upgrade. The league indicated that the option on the contract had been exercised and nothing would change. The elder tried to work through the Hunt group, which responded by saying there was simply not enough money available under the salary cap. Both father and son were perturbed with MLS for not upholding their end of the unwritten agreement and with the Hunt group for not taking the initiative. Agent Lyle Yorks was hired to get a better deal or get him sold back overseas. They are still hoping to renegotiate for this coming season, but nothing yet.

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Earthquakes shopping No. 1 pick
Posted: Monday January 14, 2008 07:25AM ET

The San Jose Earthquakes have identified the player they will choose with the No. 1 overall pick but is still considering offers for the pick. The Earthquakes are looking for an impact veteran in exchange for the pick. Head coach Frank Yallop wasn't about to reveal his target with the No. 1 pick but it is a safe bet that the Quakes will take either Patrick Nyarko or Eric Avila if they keep the pick.

shaggy · Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 4:19 pm

Claudio Lopez!!! He's a quality player, or at least he was, havnt seen him play in a while....

steve020 · Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:42 pm

Alrite guys

Preston NE fan here just wanting to get some info on Taylor Twellmen i see he has spat his dummy out and wants the move to come to us are be compensated for loss of earnings he can triple his pay at Preston.

Do you think our bid of $2.5 million dollars was a fair one for a player who is untested in England his goal record is very good and i for 1 would love to see him pull on the white shirt of Preston North End.

papa5murf · Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:55 pm

^ As far as I know, the MLS has rejected any bids for Taylor Twellmen to this point. Is he a good player? yes. Can he cut it in the big leagues? no. He did have a stint with 1860 Munich but never made an appearance. He does have experience though (all in the MLS). Preston North End would probably be better off with an up and coming star by the name of Jozy Altidore who currently plays for the Red Bull New York.

papa5murf · Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 3:41 pm

16 January 2008

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Fire could make draft interesting
Posted: Wednesday January 16, 2008 06:15AM ET

With the Fire having two first-round picks this year, another trade on draft day isn't out of the question. The Fire owns the No. 7 pick, which it received from the Red Bulls for coach Juan Carlos Osorio, and the No. 12 pick. After the first round, the Fire picks at 26, 38, 40, 54. According to Fire coach Denis Hamlett, the draft is lacking "can't-miss" scoring prospects.

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Why FC Dallas traded Ruiz
Posted: Wednesday January 16, 2008 05:38AM ET

Carlos Ruiz said he did his best to help FC Dallas win an MLS Cup title during his three-year stint with the club. FC Dallas traded Ruiz, its leading scorer the last three seasons, to Los Angeles on Tuesday for an undisclosed cash allocation and the Galaxy's natural second-round pick in next year's MLS SuperDraft. Ruiz will play alongside David Beckham and Landon Donovan under coach Rudd Gullit. The move opens up about $400,000 in salary-cap space, and Morrow said that FC Dallas is looking at Argentinean striker Claudio Lopez, Davino's teammate with Mexico's Club America, as an option to replace Ruiz.

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Wizards trade for top pick
Posted: Wednesday January 16, 2008 05:33AM ET

While the Wizards are waiting to see if star forward Eddie Johnson is headed to play in England, one player is definitely on the move. Defender Nick Garcia was traded Tuesday to the expansion San Jose Earthquakes for the No. 1 overall pick in Friday's MLS SuperDraft, Garcia told The Star. "It caught me by surprise," Garcia said. Garcia was the Wizards' first pick, second overall, in the 2000 draft out of Indiana. He was part of the Wizards team that won the MLS Cup in 2000.

papa5murf · Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 3:12 pm

17/18 January 2008

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D.C. selling Arguez to Hertha Berlin
Posted: Thursday January 17, 2008 05:59AM ET

D.C. United is in the process of selling 19-year-old midfielder Bryan Arguez to Hertha Berlin of the German Bundesliga, the second player this offseason to be transferred by the MLS club to Europe. According to sources familiar with the deal, United and MLS will receive between $350,000 and $400,000 as well as financial considerations if Arguez is sold to another club in the future.

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MLS teams consider draft trades
Posted: Thursday January 17, 2008 08:01AM ET

The MLS draft is two days away and the trade talk is in full swing as several teams are looking to trade either in or out of the first round. So who wants into the first round? The Houston Dynamo and New York Red Bulls are two squad source are telling me will be lining up offers in Baltimore to move up. The Dynamo is high on young winger Brek Shea while the Red Bulls would love a chance to move up and grab Chance Myers.

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Fans push for Philly franchise
Posted: Friday January 18, 2008 06:46AM ET

With the competition for a pro soccer expansion team entering its final stage, the Sons of Ben are hitting the road. Today about 25 members of the fan club will tool down I-95 in a car-pool caravan to Baltimore, where the Major League Soccer draft provides a stage for them to plead with officials to please, please, put a team in Philadelphia. For months, the Sons of Ben - a boosters group for a team that doesn't exist - have lobbied MLS chieftains and Pennsylvania politicians, gathering signatures on petitions and on pledges to buy season tickets. Now, with a decision imminent, they see themselves not just as supporters but as players in the drama, exerting all possible influence to try to tip the decision to Philadelphia.

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Real Salt Lake goalie in demand
Posted: Friday January 18, 2008 06:44AM ET

Real Salt Lake has been approached by a couple clubs about a trade involving goalkeeper Chris Seitz, who is likely to start the season as Nick Rimando's back-up. However, with Seitz's huge upside and the financial implications if he is sold overseas, RSL would probably ask for a lot in exchange for the former under-20 starter.

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Wizards may trade No. 1 pick
Posted: Friday January 18, 2008 06:40AM ET

Wizards Coach Curt Onalfo, who has already made two significant trades and is finalizing a deal for a Colombian forward, said there is a possibility his club could trade the No. 1 overall pick acquired from San Jose this week for defender Nick Garcia. "We're keeping our options open," he said.

papa5murf · Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:46 pm

19 January

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D.C. United captain to return
Posted: Saturday January 19, 2008 09:50AM ET

According to D.C. United General Manager Dave Kasper, team captain Jaime Moreno will sign a new contract next week that is guaranteed for the 2008 and '09 seasons, but at a lower salary than he had been making.

shaggy · Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 3:21 pm

Quote:

Columbus Crew have confirmed their interest in Celtic striker Maciej Zurawski.

The 31-year-old Poland international is a target of his compatriot Robert Warzycha, who is assistant boss of the Major League Soccer side.

Warzycha told the Daily Express: "Our offer is concrete. Zurawski is very interested in joining us because he wants to play in Euro 2008."

Zurawski's lack of first-team action with Celtic could threaten his chances of representing his country this summer, and a move to the United States could help his prospects, even though the MLS is currently out of season.

Warzycha said: "His agent Mark Donaghy is now negotiating with Celtic over the transfer fee. We believe it will be between 200,000 and 300,000 euros (�150,000-�225,000)."

papa5murf · Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:16 am

Thanks for contributing Shaggy. That's the first time I've heard of that rumor. Smile

papa5murf · Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:50 pm

22/23/24 January 2008

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Red Bulls target Argentine
Posted: Tuesday January 22, 2008 08:00AM ET

His bags are packed, he is ready to go. Red Bulls Coach Juan Carlos Osorio is headed to South America this week on a scouting trip with scheduled stops in Colombia, Argentina and Brazil. Osorio said that two of the players were currently in "competitive leagues" in Europe, and added that one was "in the French league, at the moment." That player is probably the 32-year-old midfielder Marcelo Gallardo of Argentina, who has terminated his contract with Paris St.-Germain. The 5-foot-5 Gallardo is also being pursued by Borussia Dortmund in Germany and San Lorenzo in Argentina.

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Chivas goalie works out for Celtic
Posted: Tuesday January 22, 2008 08:08AM ET

Chivas USA and U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan is, indeed, in Glasgow this week for workouts with Celtic and a possible transfer.

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Noonan job hunting in Scandinavia
Posted: Tuesday January 22, 2008 08:11AM ET

Revolution and U.S. forward Pat Noonan's name has been popping up with a variety of clubs in Scandinavia, although there apparently have been no offers yet.

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Rapids shopping Mastroeni
Posted: Wednesday January 23, 2008 09:21AM ET

U.S. World Cup veteran Pablo Mastroeni has spent six years with the Colorado Rapids, playing 107 matches, but match 108 appears unlikely to come. According to MLS sources, the Rapids are actively shopping Mastroeni, who is set to either join another MLS team or leave on a transfer in the coming days. So where in MLS might Mastroeni wind up? D.C. United is a popular guess but Mastroeni's salary doesn't fit in with the plans D.C. United already has in place. According to sources, the real possibilities for Mastroeni are Chivas USA and New England.

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Why Galaxy signed Nigerian
Posted: Wednesday January 23, 2008 06:50AM ET

Galaxy Coach Ruud Gullit has made his first significant foreign signing by bringing former Nigerian international defender and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Celestine Babayaro to Los Angeles on a three-year contract. The move will allow Gullit to move Mike Randolph, who had an impressive rookie season as Jazic's understudy in 2007, into a more attacking position in left midfield.

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Fire close to landing Frenchman
Posted: Thursday January 24, 2008 08:04AM ET

The Chicago Fire has been on the hunt for another attacking threat to complement star midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco and the Fire may be close to landing that player. The player's name is Fabrice Pancrate, a 27-year-old French winger/forward who Chicago head coach Denis Hamlett and technical director Frank Klopas have traveled to France to see and try to sign, sources have confirmed to SBI.

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