My calendar says August 12th, which means that the MLS transfer window for attached players ends in just a few days. Considering the rather busy summer we've had for MLS signings, it would hardly be a surprise if all of the big splash moves have been consummated and the window will close without another name player joining MLS.


Call me greedy, but that makes me a little sad.


Oh, I know - with Henry, Marquez, Nkufo, Fernandez, Castillo, even Mista and Boskovic, MLS has added a slew of talented and expensive players to the mix. It should make for an exciting stretch run, and we're already beginning to see the fruits of the broadened DP rule on the field. I'm particularly struck by how much one player can affect the confidence of his new teammates; it looks to me like several Red Bulls have upped their game since Titi arrived in Harrison.


I should be sated, I suppose. But the silly season hit MLS full force for the first time in 2010, and damn was it fun. From nonsensical rumors to the what everyone knew was inevitable, MLS teams garnered headlines in places the league had never gone before. That's half the point, of course. These are good players though, players that should in almost every case help their teams be better. The ceiling is higher for some because of the talent they joined, but the league as a whole will undoubtedly benefit from a bump in the number of high-class footballers. If the play is better and attendance increases because of select signings, it's hard to see a negative in the Summer of Signings.


So bring on more, I say. Why isn't that Ronaldinho deal done? Can MLS somehow pry Raul away from Schalke? Where's New England's obviously needed Portuguese star? How do we convince Kroenke to spend some cash? Shouldn't Chicago have a third DP?


I'm hunting rumors in foreign-language sources, I'm looking for any indication MLS teams are still searching, I'm scouring page after page of blog posts and "reputable" reporting for a whiff of something, anything, coming.


Omar Bravo will be a Wizard? That's great! Oh, in January. Hmmm...


Rooney to Seattle? Of course, it's not Wayne. Not much to get excited about there.


If it is done, if MLS teams have exhausted themselves for this particular window, consider it mission accomplished from a profile standpoint. Perhaps Henry would have brought the league increased attention all on his own, the way Beckham did in '07 but to a somewhat lesser degree; but with multiple players of recognition and quality signing in one fell swoop, MLS multiplied the effect. Providing clubs with options to mitigate the DP salary cap hit as well as purchase a third slot has proved to be a stroke of genius from most angles.


That's if you like good players plying their trade in your backyard in stadiums now fuller because they're there.


Which is why I don't want this window to close without squeezing everything out of it humanly possible.


Can I have just one more? I'd even settle for a non-DP most people have heard of...or a goalkeeper.


Damn, this is getting sad.

Landon Donovan says he would love to return to Everton. Everton says they would love to have him back. In a perfect world, Donovan's permanent move to the Liverpool club would just be a matter of cutting a check.


But the financial concerns are now a major roadblock. The Galaxy/MLS valuation of Donovan falls somewhere north of £10 million, and rightfully so. With Everton's books running on small margins, David Moyes says the chances of a reunion aren't looking good. Unless Everton decides to sell a player to raise the funds to buy Donovan, a feel good move back to Merseyside looks increasingly unlikely.


Donovan speaks reverently whenever asked about his time at Everton and a possible return; whether it's "Goodison or Bust" isn't clear, with the midfielder talking about "options" plural, but anyone with knowledge of Donovan and his personality think the particular situation matters greatly to his choice. Donovan doesn't want to go back to Europe just go back to Europe; he wants to go to a place where he'll be comfortable, something which will undoubtedly mean a greater chance of success on the field.


If Everton can't afford him, Donovan's 2010 might very well end with him still on the Galaxy payroll.


But don't expect the dance to stop. Until the clock strikes midnight on the day the transfer window closes, reporters here will continue to ask Donovan about his plans while reporters there will continue to ask Moyes about Everton's interest. The end won't come until the rules no longer allow a move to happen.


They're star-crossed lovers, Everton and Donovan, kept apart by the harsh realities of the business of football and destined to dance with each other through words spoken across an ocean. It seems odd that money, and not that ocean is the true barrier to consummation.


It's possible there are other suitors for Donovan's services, and it's possible one or two can swing the required fee with less trouble than Everton. If one of those clubs come calling, perhaps Donovan would push his Everton love aside. The right price and a chance to play at the highest levels are powerful aphrodisiacs; but would Donovan ever seem as perfect a fit somewhere else as he did with the Toffees? Would his abilities and contributions be as appreciated? Would the fans of another club take Donovan in as one of their own so quickly and wholeheartedly?


Nothing in the career of a highly-paid professional footballer in Donovan's position, barring catastrophic injury on the field, could be termed tragic. But if Landon Donovan never returns to the scene of his one and only European success, the warm bosom of Goodison Park, "tragic" is the first word that comes to mind.


In the next two weeks, Donovan and Everton will dance. Then the deadline will hit, and the dance will take on a different tone; a shift will bring talk of a possible future together, of what could be come January when Donovan and Everton will have another chance to bring about a glorious reunion.

If this were an journalistic enterprise, and believe it or not I do have a few standards, I'm not sure I could get away with posting this bit of "news."


Luckily, this is just a blog, so I'm going to post it anyway while making sure to frame it with serious amounts of skepticism.


There are suggestions floating around that Ronaldinho might still sign for the Galaxy. In return, Milan would receive Landon Donovan.


The bar has been raised on the MLS transfer window silliness to heights never seen before.


I honestly don't what to make of this. I don't know if it has to be complete nonsense, or if it makes some sense on a weird level. If Donovan wants to go and the Galaxy want Ronaldinho to replace him, it's almost somehow conceivable. Except for the nagging problem that Milan have never once mentioned any interest in Donovan.


One of the "sources" says the price is 24 million euros and Donovan in return for Ronaldinho. That's insane. Ronaldinho's price tage was 10 million euros just recently.


The mentions of this deal are posted in languages I don't speak. I'm relying on Google Translate here, so if I'm missing some nuance, please let me know.


Meanwhile, I'm glad it's Friday.


A thanks for the heads up on this go to @jguesman. Follow him on Twitter and visit his Galaxy blog Section 108.

by Vlad Bouchouev

As a first-year MLS organization, the Philadelphia Union has been doing an exceptional job. It all began with the persistent efforts of the Philadelphia soccer fans, particularly the “Sons of Ben.” Then came the stadium. Then came the expansion team. Then Nowak and Mwanga. And now we’re hearing that the Union has sold out all of their season tickets for this year. Philly fans, very nice job.


So seemingly the only thing that Union fans have been missing to set the icing on the cake has been a good start to the season and a big-named, designated player.


Ah, “the designated player.” The term has some sort of aura about that just makes you tingle inside, giving you the sense that every MLS team is in constant search of the “Messiah” who will save its fans from misfortune and achieve perfect harmony; a sort of nirvana so to speak. Well, that’s just going to have to wait in Philadelphia.


The Union’s best shot at signing a big-named star this season has been all but shut down after Robert Pires abruptly turned down their offer. The reason? The aesthetic standards of Philly are just not good enough for him. Hey I didn’t say it, Pires did. “I do not want to be difficult, but left to take my family away, I'd rather do it in a beautiful city. Otherwise, I will put an end to my career,” expressed Pires in a report from the French newspaper L’Equipe. Seriously? The French just continue to impress me. I mean I really believe that Youri Djorkaeff was an outstanding ambassador for the French during his time with the Metrostars/Red Bulls, but I think such blunt comments from Pires set us back a few spaces. Personally, I see beautiful Philadelphia as a city that is metronomic with the United States and if you insult Philly, you insult Americans.


After Pires was asked about the latest rumors of his friend and compatriot Thierry Henry moving to New York, Pires stated, “I wish him to go there. That is a beautiful city.” Another slap in the face for Philly fans and I can already hear the Empire Supporters Club coming up with some cleaver chants about you at the next Union game.


From the league’s standpoint, this was one of their more disappointing transfer fall-throughs ever. What seemed to be close to a completed deal for the MLS instead turned out to be a reality check for the league. Just as we began to think that the MLS has grown in reputation and quality, Pires reminded us that when overseas players come to the States, many of them do it to just experience the lifestyle. And granted, aside from that and some good cash, we just currently still don’t have the muscles to compete for some of the world’s best players. As for Philly fans, shake it off. But maybe next time you’re trying to get a frog to play on your team, send Sebastian Le Toux to the bargaining table.

Fox's Houston affiliate is reporting that Stuart Holden has made a decision on his future, at least for the next few weeks, and will go on trial with English Premier League side Burnley.


This does not necessarily close the door on Holden returning to the Houston Dynamo in 2010, but it does make his intentions clear. He wants to play in England, and if he impresses Burnley (currently 14th in the table), a contract there would entice him away from MLS.


Holden also revealed this evening that he will make an appearance on the New Year's Day edition of Good Morning American tomorrow morning.


Unfortunately for MLS, who tried desperately to keep him with a large non-DP offer, and Houston fans, who will hate to see their young star go, I full expect Holden to play well on trial and secure a deal to play in England for 2010 and beyond.

An American in desperate need of a club has come home and signed to play in the US. Defender Heath Pearce has penned a deal with the MLS and was snapped up by top-of-the-allocation-list FC Dallas today; Pearce's move to the States follows a trying end to his European stint, which included a falling out with Hansa Rostock over "performance issues" (which include rumors of a faked injury), and a failed deal with Turkish side Bursapor.

Pearce's deal with FC Dallas is only for the remainder of the season; the guess here is that the defender will attempt to revive his European ambitions once the international transfer window opens again in January. Pearce is a contender for the American World Cup roster, of course, and so playing time is important. He certainly couldn't afford to sit out until the winter, both because of those World Cup ambitions, as well as his need to showcase himself to potential employers abroad.

Pearce, only twenty-five, is among other American internationals to sign with MLS in recent months after hitting a lull in Europe. Winger Bobby Convey joined San Jose in February, moving from England after being released by Reading. Danny Szetela returned to MLS and joined DC United, after FC Dallas on him passed despite having first right of refusal to sign him. Szetela has yet to make an impact with DC, and appears to be on the outs with head coach Tom Soehn.

Several other American players remain in limbo with their club situations, including National Team veteran DeMarcus Beasley (currently with Rangers) and U-20 midfielder Vincenzo Bernardo (unattached, last with Napoli).

What contribution Pearce can make to a club headed nowhere isn't exactly clear; he certainly adds quality to FCD's back line, though I'm not sure what that might get them. A stay of execution perhaps.

What do you make of Pearce's move to MLS? Who do you think the next American player to "come home" might be?

I wrote a piece back in February on Convey's move to MLS and the issue of Americans returning home that you can read here.

By now you've probably heard the news that Toronto FC has signed Canadian international Julian de Guzman as their first Designated Player. The signing makes sense for many reasons, not the least of which the fact that he's just a very, very, good player.

I don't have a problem with Toronto working within the system as it exists and bringing in what amounts to a national soccer hero; but I've turned completely on the DP rule, and JDG's signing is just another indication to me that the league has it all wrong.

I wrote a column for MLS Daily on the subject of de Guzman to Toronto and the DP rule in general when he was first being wooed a few months back; it's still relevant, has become timely again (for the most part), and so I present it to you here.

Toronto FC has sauntered up to the vault, inserted their key, opened the door, wheeled in a cart, loaded it up with gobs of cash, and slammed it right into the available arms of one Julian de Guzman.

The Canadian international is the team's first Designated Player target, a hometown boy with European experience, quality to spare, and a marketable name to sell to TFC's football mad fan base. $7 million over two years (the assumption is that it's USD) is the rumored offer, and it would make the midfielder the second highest paid player in MLS, behind only you-know-who.

I'm not a TFC fan, and I certainly don't speak for any, but I have a few reservations.

Whether de Guzman accepts the lucrative deal isn't really what concerns me. TFC would certainly be better off with him in the fold, and his class is undeniable. There's no reasonable soccer fan that would lament their team doing what the Reds are doing. But as a fan of MLS the enterprise first and foremost, and as someone who roots for the league's ultimate success over all else, I have to wonder: Is this the path that MLS clubs should really be taking to relevancy?

Toronto FC must really, really want de Guzman. MLSE's massive offer is said to dwarf any he might receive in Europe, and there's an obvious reason for that; simply put, it will take that kind of cash to lure a player in his prime away from the brighter lights of the continent to the much weaker MLS. TFC should be applauded on the one hand for doing what it might take to bring a player of solid pedigree and who lacks the "over the hill" tag into a league with none of the cache of Europe's top competitions. Yet, and this isn't about the dollars involved, or MLSE's bottom line, I get the feeling that this type of move is exactly what MLS clubs should try to avoid as they push on into a future that includes the "Beckham Rule".

I'm not really a "slow and steady growth" kind of guy. I'm as impatient as the next fan, and I'm desperate for MLS to raise the salary cap significantly so clubs have more ammunition to go after better players. But, and even though it may seem counter-intuitive, the DP rule runs counter to my hopes for the league; the larger the disparity between the top paid guys and the squad players, the more inconsistent quality will be and the more frustrating it will be for those high-talent stars who do make the leap. If you're a giant fish in a tiny pond, you tend to get bored and disillusioned rather quickly; the recent hubbub over David Beckham's time with the LA Galaxy and his "lack of commitment" is exactly the type of problem that the league faces whenever the DP rule is utilized to lure players like de Guzman here.

I'm all for more money being spent. I just want it to be spent across the board, even-handed, and on a number of players that can actually make a marked difference. It's not always enough to throw money at a problem; it's often necessary to be discerning with that money, to make sure to focus it in a way that doesn't do more harm than good. Julian de Guzman deserves whatever he can get and MLSE has the right to spend whatever they choose in whatever way the rules allow. But it's hard for me to ignore what the offer represents, what it might mean for the development of MLS, and how high-profile signings like de Guzman could ultimately restrict the growth of the league.

I know, I'm probably judging de Guzman prematurely and unfairly. He could very well be happy ending up at BMO Field, doing his best to push TFC towards glory, and aiding in raising the profile of his club even further than it's already gone. Faultless too is TFC, for whom the Designated Player rule is something to be exploited; with a talented player of de Guzman's background (i.e., Canadian) available, money to burn, and a fan base desperate for a big splash move, it would be folly of them not to explore the possibility of obtaining his services. He's the Golden Goose, there for the taking, the player that might possibly put them over the top while instilling civic pride in the local populace at the same time.

But what MLS needs is a solid group of mid-level talents, not one or two guys for whom MLS is a step down. For every de Guzman, there's twenty bench players, barely scraping by on wages many of us would scoff at, doing their best to live out their footballing dreams while lining up alongside guys who could buy and sell them fifty times over. It's this disparity that I find distressing, and what TFC's offer to de Guzman thrusts into my MLS observer's consciousness. The league's long term future will be built on the median level of its talent, not on splashy contracts given to players that would certainly be plying their trade elsewhere if the money was equal. The rules, as they currently exist, hold the league back from true respectability rather than pushing them forward as those that set them obviously believe.

De Guzman. Right for Toronto FC, wrong for Major League Soccer. Rather, it's what de Guzman represents that's wrong for the league, and you'd be hard pressed to convince me otherwise.

Sorry about posting old content if you've already read it; it's Friday, and I'm being lazy.

An explosion of rumors in the French language media today have Landon Donovan on the verge of a move to Parisian club Paris Saint-Germain.

Le 10 Sport seems to be the original source of the rumor, which has been repeated on several other French sport sites.

France has not been previously mentioned as a possible destination for Donovan, so this rumor catches me by surprise just a bit. What is most fascinating about it is the implication that a move might be imminent, meaning that PSG would be buying/signing on loan Donovan from MLS at a time when no one thought he would leave.

I'm taking this rumor with a grain of salt, just as I would any other, though I am absolutely floored by the its suddenness. If anyone has insight into the credibility of 10sport.com, please enlighten us.

I imagine, if Donovan was to somehow end up in France, that the presence of another American in Ligue 1 (with Davies and Bocanegra already there) would drive up attention from this side of the pond significantly.

*UPDATE* With little help from MFUSA Twitter follower Joseph, I have a slightly better translation.

Essentially, the story indicates that PSG's manager, Antoine Kombouaré, isn't completely convinced that Donovan could help the club. While Landon has admirers there, including former player Alain Roche, it's not exactly as it seems. A Los Angeles-based interest owns a significant portion of PSG and appears to be behind some of the push for Donovan. But if the manager is skeptical, can there really be anything to this rumor?

**UPDATE** This rumor has obviously spread to other bloggers/reporters since I posted it, and some seem to be under the impression that any move to PSG would be after the MLS season (meaning January); while that makes more sense than a move now, I'm not able to find a report out of France that explicitly states the timing. If any of you out there can read French and are able to find a reference to January loan, let me know.

by Jason Kuenle

Perhaps it is because United States’ return to the World Cup was in 1990 and that MLS has been around for the majority of that time, that the success of MLS and the success of the USMNT are linked in my head. But what has happened this summer is beginning to disconnect that link. Next year, the 2010 World Cup will mark the third complete World Cup cycle in which MLS has existed. A quick look at the World Cup lineups in 2002, 2006, and 2010 reveals a downward trend in the influence of MLS on the national team. In the 2002 World Cup, the eleven with the most playing time consisted of five players then in MLS, four former MLS players, and two that had never been in MLS. By 2006, those numbers were two, five, and four. If Donovan moves this winter, those numbers could realistically be zero, seven, and four. As the talent of US nationals is recognized around the world, it becomes less likely that our best eleven will include MLS based players.

While its not surprising that the success of the MNT has resulted in moves by its regulars to better leagues in Europe, the signing of developing players by these clubs may cut MLS out of the MNT entirely. While the number of current MLS players has drastically fallen from almost half the team to possibly no one, the number of players who never played in MLS has not risen at the same pace. Yet with Davies’ successful move from Sweden and Feilhaber’s and possibly Adu’s revival in Denmark, the path through Scandinavia to a bigger league looks more and more promising. Meanwhile Jose Torres and Michael Orozco lead a number of Americans having been discovered and signed by Mexican teams. Even the Premier League is now getting in on the action with Eric Lichaj at Villa and Anton Peterlin and Cody Arnoux recently signed by Everton.

It is difficult to say whether being in a better league outside of the US will increase the likelihood of being called up for national team duties. US coaches, and Bradley in particular, have seemed content to call on MLS talent whenever he has a throwaway game or tournament. These games have given players like Sacha Kljestan and Robbie Rogers a forum for making a push to Europe; a pattern that has been repeated numerous times. MLS has lost what could be described as an A-minus USMNT to Europe over the past few years. With a 3-5-2 formation, the MLS alumni all-stars could lineup Howard, Califf, Parkhurst, Bocanegra, Edu, Bradley, Dempsey, Adu, Beasley, Altidore, and Cooper. Since 2002, at least one, and usually two, members of the MLS Best XI has left for Europe before the end of the next year. Of the 2008 squad, Kenny Cooper has already left and Donovan will likely follow this winter. Looking ahead to next year, Stuart Holden and Chad Marshall look to be front runners for making the Best XI for 2009 and good transfer targets for Europe next year.

With the exception of Donovan and Clark, both rumored to be gone this winter, the active members of the MNT player pool in MLS consist of two groups, those over 30 and those under 25. In the next four years, those under 25 stars will be the targets of transfer to Europe, while Ching and Hejduk will no longer be options. If the increased respect for US players allows for the next generation to start their careers abroad, players like Dempsey will never be in MLS to transfer out. Unless MLS can recruit and develop young talent to continuously replace the talent that transfers to Europe, MLS could be on the outside looking in when it comes to MNT players.

Let's play a game: It's called "Find the Interesting Name on the Website of a Storied Brazilian Club".

It means nothing, but it's interesting enough to pass along...

Play the game

Jason and Zach are back; time for another Match Fit USA Soccer Show. This week, it's more mun2 USA-Mexico talk, Gold Cup fan fallout, MLS All-Star game discussion, American transfers abroad, and we finish up with a lighting round of Jimmy Conrad's Twitter travails, the Mexican roster for the World Cup qualifier, and DC United's continued efforts to find a site for a new stadium.

The Match Fit USA Soccer Show, part of the Champions Soccer Radio Network.

LISTEN in the CSRN media player

DOWNLOAD the show

SUBSCRIBE in iTunes

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*UPDATE I've had someone tell me that they've had issues getting the new show from iTunes; if you are having similar problems, please let me know.

Tried to be clever with the headline. Failed. Oh well.

So Kenny Cooper is off to 1860 Munich, a 2. Bundesliga club. The speculation over his immediate future can end for the time being, and we can move on to the next American player likely to head overseas (anyone want to hazard a guess?).

The problem now, is that Cooper's transfer raises some interesting questions. Is Kenny's move a lateral one? Or is 2. Bundesliga a step up in competition?

Unfortunately, and I've mentioned this before, I'm not knowledgeable enough to know the answer to that question. While 1860 Munich is clearly, and by a mile, the second biggest club in their city and their stadium, they're certainly a a bigger club than any in MLS. That alone might make the transfer worth it for Cooper, who probably has an eye to another moving after a few years of playing in Germany.

But in terms of his development, is he really better off? Let's assume for a second (and I'm not arguing this, I'm just using it for this discussion) that 2. Bundesliga is, at best, a lateral move when it comes to the strength of the league. If that's the case, is Cooper actually hurting himself by accepting this transfer? Perhaps those rumors of Championship clubs in England looking at Cooper were false; I'd be shocked if he chose Germany over England if transfer fee offered up were anywhere near comparable.

Is the goal to just get out of MLS at any cost? Of course Cooper's salary should see a nice bump, so maybe that's all there is to it. Cash is king.

Maybe I'm over-thinking this, or maybe I'm just trying to fill a bit of time on a lazy Friday afternoon. I'll let you be the judge.

Is Germany's second division a step up for Cooper? Is he better off there than in MLS? Should we expect him to improve in Munich?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Despite a report earlier in the week that he was likely to stay thorough the 2009 MLS season, Kenny Cooper is apparently on the verge of a move to Bundesliga 2 side 1860 Munich.

Cooper is a free agent after the MLS season, and could leave on a free transfer to the destination of his choosing. Selling him now obviously makes sense for FC Dallas and MLS, who would be able something back in a transfer fee.

According to his agent, a deal already exists in principle and could be finalized as early as next week.

It's the nature of the world of transfers; what is said one day (that Cooper is likely to stay for the season, for example), is quickly refuted by new reports only a few days later. In the midst of a poor season, this can't be good news for FC Dallas fans.

Still, it's probably time for Cooper to head back to Europe, and while Bundesliga 2 isn't the highest profile or flashiest league, Cooper should be able to secure enough playing time to make the move worthwhile. Unfortuantely, I'm not up on my lower division German football, so I can't say whether or not the quality of the league is comparable or better than MLS.

Do you think this would be a good move for Cooper?

*UPDATE* If this is legit, then it seems the deal is done and Kenny is off.

I neglected a few bits of news yesterday thanks to the #usmexicotv campaign (which you can read about here if you don't know what I'm talking about), so I'm going to try to catch up in rapid fire fashion:

No Developments on Altidore

Not exactly news, but worth nothing; a few days ago, it was reported that Jozy was definitely on his way to Greece to play for Olympiakos, and yet we've heard nothing since. I'm not sure Greece or Olympiakos is the right place for the young striker, so no news it good news to me. I suspect something is still in the works on a loan for Alitdore, and that we'll hear either more rumors or a confirmed deal in next few days.

Szetela Returns

Danny Szetela's European sojourn didn't quite work out the way I'm sure he had hoped, but it's clearly not all bad. Much better for him to have a chance to play than to ride the bench for a middling European side, so his return to MLS with DC United makes sense. Only twenty-two, Szetela can still be a factor in both the league and that National Team. United fans have to be ecstatic to get a talented, young, and versatile player like Szetela.

Cooper Rumors Out of Nowhere

Generally, MLS transfer rumors follow a standard path: a few whispers give way to some stronger rumblings that might include a fee before finally "ending" with a go or no-go announcement. The recent Kenny-Cooper-to-Bristol-City rumors seem to have skipped the whisper stage and gone straight to the rumblings. Cooper's name inevitably pops up every summer, and while there's no reason that this couldn't be the year his move to Europe finally happens, I'm just a little surprised by the suddenness. Too bad Bristol City is denying the rumors.

A few names that I continue to be surprised we have heard no rumors about: Sacha Kjlestan (did he scare off Celtic?) and Landon Donovan. Whether Donovan is likely to leave during the summer or not (and he has told Grant Wahl that he will be with LA at least through the '09 season), you'd think that someone would have inquired. Inevitably, those things get leaked to reporters who then tell the world, and yet we've heard no such whispers.

Two stories today, which seem unconnected on the surface: Anton Peterlin, most recently of the Ventura County Fusion, has officially signed with Everton. Yura Movisyan, currently of Real Salt Lake, has signed with Danish side Randers FC and will be leaving MLS shortly.

As I mentioned; two seemingly unrelated stories concerning players on two distinct tiers of the American soccer pyramid. But each highlights continuing issues with our top-flight league, issues I think will only be exacerbated in the future.

Peterlin's signing with Everton leads to an obvious question: If he could impress David Moyes and his staff enough in a ten day trial to land a contract with a Premier League club, why wasn't he already on the payroll of a Major League Soccer club?

There are several reasons, of course, because nothing with MLS is ever simple; most basically, though, it comes down to money and roster size. Signing Peterlin would not only hit the salary cap of the team in question, it would also take up one of the precious few roster spots teams have. This means that unless Peterlin was ready to step in immediately (which is doubtful), then having him on the roster is a luxury many teams can't afford, at least at the salary he might have commanded. With a European passport (his father is Danish and his mother is Slovakian), Peterlin wasn't locked into signing for an MLS club as a poverty-level salary; he could bide his time and look for trial opportunities, hoping to eventually end up signed by a European club. Which is exactly what he did.

Roster limits and the salary cap conspire to make it difficult for players like Peterlin to be easily picked up by clubs that could certainly benefit from developing him in-house. Because Peterlin didn't rate as a player coming out of college, he slipped through the cracks, and his background made it difficult to sign him following two trials with MLS clubs.

Peterlin is exactly the type of player that MLS teams must sign if the league is to continue growing while maintaining a core of American players. The Superdraft has served its purpose to this point, and provides the league with some semi-refined talent; but as long as the business of developing players themselves continues to receive only lip service, MLS will find itself missing out on more than a handful of quality players that are available right here in the US.

Movsisyan represents an entirely different problem, but one that's equally as frustrating to MLS fans, and involves elements of the same league-operation issues. A young striker with great potential, Movsisyan has quietly become one of the most exciting young players in MLS. But his contract situation, as well as his own passport status, has led him to sign with a European club rather than remain in the league that gave him his start. Movsisyan's salary, while mid-range by MLS standards, pales in comparison to what he could command in even a second- or third-tier league Europe. A player with Movsisyan's work status holds all the cards; if RSL/MLS didn't step up with a contract to his liking, he's able to flit off to Europe, more than likely for a significantly higher salary, which is exactly what he did.

I'm willing to bet that RSL may not have even attempted to seriously negotiate with him, knowing it was a lost cause.

Two players, two black-eyes, two examples of the league's inability to find and hang on to talent in its own country. One player MLS missed on because of the system as it exists for finding talent didn't allow teams the leeway to risk bringing him in, and the other leaves before he really hits his full potential because the salary restrictions make it impossible to keep him. Each highlights the same problem from difference angles, and each is mind-wrenchingly maddening.

MLS can bring in all of the overpriced foreign talent that it wants to, something I've actually advocated for as a way to raise the quality of the league quickly; but MLS should first and foremost work towards maximizing the talent available in the United States, something the example of Peterlin and Movsisyan prove they are not doing by any stretch of the imagination.

Maybe neither player really wanted to play in MLS in first place; if true, that might lead to an entirely different post on a entirely different set of problems. It depresses me to even consider the possibility.

It seems that once you start doing something, you have to follow through with it.

And so I present to you Freddy Adu's latest hint about his club future:

FreddyAdu11 as of now im going to preseason with benfica unless something changes.could be spain,holland, a different country or staying at Benfica.

There's absolutely nothing I can glean from this, other than to suppose that Adu is making contact with clubs in the countries he mentioned. Spain and Holland would be fine places for him to play, but without specific club names to go on, there's really no way to know for sure.

Digest this news as you will.

My most recent missive for MLS Daily is now up over there, and I'd be honored if you'd check it out.

I outline the issues that MLS playing through the international breaks causes for fans.

MLS Daily column 4/3

Please comment, I'd love to hear thoughts on the matter.

Steven Goff reported today that DC United has purchased Canadian international Dejan Jakovic from Serbian side Red Star Belgrade. As MLS player movement is most often limited to intra-league transactions and the signing of out-of-contract players (free transfers), the purchase of Jakovic is the exception, rather than the rule, for clubs in the American top-flight. I took a quick look at some numbers to see h

This off-season has been filled with moves typical of MLS; player-for-player trades, player-for-allocation-money trades (which I guess is a type of purchase, but I've left it out of the discussion), and the incoming crop of college draftees makes up the vast majority of team acquisitions.

By my count, eleven out of fifty-eight players (nineteen percent) acquired by MLS clubs during the current period came to their new teams through purchases (source*). In all of these cases, the transfer fee was undisclosed, which can make it difficult to determine if the moves even were purchases (but for the sake of argument, I'm sticking to my numbers).

For a comparison, let's look at the English Championship, a league to which MLS is often compared in terms of quality: in the summer transfer period of 2008 (the off-season period, which is most comparable to the pre-season period for MLS), a total of fifty-seven acquired players were purchased by their new clubs (any counting error is mine). Without a percentage**, it's hard to tell how the this compares directly with MLS, as the pure number of transactions in the English league dwarfs the number in the American one. Even if we allow that moves between two teams in the Championship are equivalent to player-for-allocation moves in MLS, the difference in how business is conducted is staggering.

With the salary cap, modest revenues, and the current roster restrictions, buying players is just not a major part of doing business for MLS clubs.

While MLS fans would certainly like to see their clubs become players in the transfer market from the buying end as well as the selling one, the situation is unlikely to change any time soon. Until revenues reach the point when player higher-priced purchases make sense for American teams, those teams will continue to obtain players from outside the league in the cheapest ways possible. Clubs that do purchase players will do so with the utmost caution, making sure their investment, no matter how small, is justified.

Until the day that MLS teams are in the business of buying on a larger scale, they'll need to be as diligent as possible to find players through alternative means. Buying talent is the quickest way to improve quality, and MLS teams simply don't have the resources to follow that path. So MLS fans will have to be patient, waiting as the league and its teams build up the level of play through the current practices.

*I removed Felix Garcia from the count in light of his return to high school.

**Feel free to count every incoming move for the Championship; I just didn't feel it was important enough to deserve the effort.

(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images North America)

I'm normally not much for rumor mongering, but I thought this was worth a mention because it relates to my previous post foreign stars and the "Matsui Effect" (apologies to Ichiro and Broadway Joe). The Ahn Jung-Hwan-to-MLS rumor has been revived.

As long as the price is right, and there is actually a team that believes he can contribute, why not take a chance? Ahn is called the "Asian Beckham", and since it looks like the league will lose the actually Beckham, why not replace him with a much less expensive version? Awareness of MLS will skyrocket in Korea, which is certainly not a bad thing.

For those of you who missed the Matsui Effect, please go back and read it. I would love to revive the discussion.

Tim Leiweke is an angry man. Recent comments from AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani that AC Milan are "close" to acquiring David Beckham have the AEG executive in quite a tizzy, something that might quickly lead to a Michael Douglas in "Falling Down" situation.

"We are not close. Two weeks ago Milan made a ridiculous offer ($3m or £2.1m) to which I replied 'no' in a few seconds. With that figure, Galaxy don't even cover the damages deriving from the shortfalls of not selling his shirts. Since then, no-one has made any moves. There are no meetings arranged."

It seems clear, at this point, that Mr. Leiweke is taking these negotiations rather personally. While he has said all the proper diplomatic things about Beckham himself, his pointed words in the direction of AC Milan are thick with vitriol. I'm rapidly reassessing my belief that a transfer deal is inevitable, largely due to Leiweke's disposition. In a perfet world, these negotiations would be strictly business, done in the best interests of both clubs, without emotion becoming a relevant factor. From an outsider's viewpoint, I think it would be hard to argue that emotion isn't currently playing a role. I'm not sure if we can rake Leiweke over the coals for getting a little worked up or not; those who believe Milan is attempting to perpetrate a grab-and-dash might be on the Galaxy exec's side, while those sick of the Beckham circus and ready to cut bait on a player who has seemingly betrayed the American soccer public's trust will want a deal to be made no matter the potential inequity of the deal.

"After that ridiculous offer, Milan have not done anything. They have tried other people, from the commissioner of the league (Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber) to David's representatives, but not us, who own his rights."

Perhaps Leiweke, and those angered by Milan's snobbery, should cut the Italian club a little slack. I know I'm often confused by the MLS single-entity structure, so what's the say that Milan have a grasp on who exactly they should be contacting?

I'm kidding, of course. If we take Leiweke's claim at face value, then we have to assume that Milan is attempting to go over the Galaxy's head. Ridiculous. No matter the structure of MLS, Milan has to know that any deal must be made with the team first; even if the league's approval is required to finalize the transfer, Milan should know they can't just ignore step one and go directly to step two.

"If David doesn't return, who will replace him? Our transfer market is already closed. If Milan are so determined to keep him, why are they taking so long? Do they think that we will settle for less money? They are mistaken."

I'm not really sure what game Milan is playing (again, taking Leiweke's statements at face value for the sake of argument). The only conclusion I can come to is that they've painted themselves in a corner, spouted off about obtaining Beckham while underestimating the cost, and now are regretting the entire debacle. If they overplayed their hand based on the belief that Beckham would come at a significant discount simply because he can extricate himself from his MLS deal, then they've underestimated the financial and public relations value of the midfielder in the American market.

"What Milan don't understand is that behind this story, there are fans that are renouncing subscriptions, sponsors that want damages and rival teams that have the right to know if the Galaxy will play at their stadium with or without Beckham."

Maybe it's all just posturing. Maybe there is a deal on the horizon, one that gets closer to the Galaxy's asking price. Maybe I'll post this analysis, only to be proved wrong today when the news hits that the deal is done, that Beckham will remain in Milan, that the saga is over and the blogosphere will have to move on to the next overblown topic (expansion anyone?).

But I'm not so sure. I think it's increasingly possible that there is no deal imminent. The "unhappy player" card, used by every agent and club to swing the transfer game in their favor, only goes so far. When a team and a league have as much invested in one player as the Galaxy and MLS do in Beckham, that "unhappy player" card loses some of it's resonance. There is truly no precedent for this situation, one in which the actual abilities of the player in question could be called a secondary concern for one of the parties at the negotiation table.

"David is a friend and asked me to listen to what Milan proposed. I have said yes, because of him. But I will not be taken for a ride and hence, on 9 March, Beckham will be in Los Angeles and will work with the same seriousness and dedication as before."

I'm not saying you should start making your "Beckham = Traitor" (or hopefully something more clever) signs for your club's home date with the Galaxy quite yet, but do think it wouldn't be a bad idea to go ahead and buy the markers and posterboard.

I base all of this on nothing but a gut feeling. I have no idea how things will actually play out, I just think the anger on the side of the Galaxy shouldn't be underestimated.