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Red Bulls eyeing Paraguayan midfielder/defender

The newest prospect in Red Bulls camp is Paraguayan midfielder Lider Marmol, the mystery player I mentioned on Friday. The 22-year-old central midfielder/central defender has impressed the Red Bulls and the club is considering signing him.

Marmol was impressive in the Red Bulls’ intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday, showing good quality in a defensive midfield role and scoring on a 30-yard blast of a goal in the second half while playing with what was essentially the club’s first team.

Marmol has been out of action since playing for Spanish second division club Hercules last spring. Last summer he spent part of the preseason with Coventry City and spent a day training with Reading, an episode which sparked rumors that Reading was interested in signing. Reading denied the interest.

A 6-foot-1 player capable of playing a holding midfield role as well as central defense, Marmol looked sharp and strong on the ball on Saturday and would be a strong candidate to start if he were signed.

Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio first spotted Marmol last year when he was coach of the Chicago Fire. Osorio wanted to sign him last summer but the Fire front office did not approve the transaction.

The Fire is believed to have put in a discovery claim on Marmol, which could create a problem if true considering the bad blood between the two clubs in the wake of Osorio’s departure from Chicago and since Fire defender Wilman Conde stated that he wants to be traded to the Red Bulls.

Marmol spent just half a season with Herculez last spring, scoring a goal in 11 matches before being let go by the club. Prior to that, Marmol played in Paraguay.

Is he a worthwhile signing? From what I have heard, and based on what he showed today, Marmol would be a very good acquisition. Marmol does come with some baggage though. He has bounced around quite a bit for such a young player and he also faced a drunk driving charge during his time with Herculez, an incident which expedited his departure from the Spanish club.

I will be posting a report from today’s scrimmage (no internet access on site so i wasn’t able to do a commentary). Check back for the report, as well as an in-depth look at the Red Bulls, later today.

Comments

  1. I don’t get it why does the league need discovery claims??? if a player wants to sign with a club, he would’t need a discovery claim to tell him where to play, he would just sign a contract. The player should get the right to choose what team he wants to play for and other teams should interfere with his elibility to sign a with another team. Espieally if the player isn’t binded in writing by a contract with the team in the first place.

    I think this rule is just retard and it stops different teams in the league from sign quality players. I think if a player doesn’t wish to play for a team, or a team doesn’t have the salary room or any intention of aquiring this player(etc.), other teams should have no business interfering with him signing with another club. I don’t see why other teams have to stepin a take claim ownership of the player, if he has no contractually obligations to them. bottomline if a player is a “free agent”, he’s free he has the choice to sign where every he wants. I dont’t think other clubs should try to claim owership of him just because they supposely “discovered” him first.

    I don’t see the practically of this rule at all. I think it stops teams signing player they want. and can purposely be used by teams to sabotage and stop them from signing quality players. which could hurt the league all together, because by teams a holding out inorder try to extort something of value from an other team. They could stop a player from being signed. Which can cause the league lose out on a good quality player.

    what if some team (like Real Salt Lake) went and put a discoveries claim on a players like Luis Figo, Zindine Zindane, Fabio Cannavaro, Ronaldinho, Kaká, Andriy Shevchenko, Paolo Maldini,and Alessandro Del Piero. Do think that would effect their of possibility signing with MLS. I know Beckman won’t have been happy if some team besides New York or LA put a discovery claim on him.

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  2. Discovery Claim is a necessary evil in the MLS with its current salary structure and lack of free agency. If it is properly administered I have no problems with it. The league is not in a position where it can not afford internal free agency with its $2 Million dollar salary cap.

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  3. …this disccovery claim stuff has got to go. I cant believe a little thing like this can stop red bull from getting a player that chicago has no intention of signing. Other teams should not be able to should not be able to tamper with where a player want to sign. I mean, if a player wants to sign with a team, should be allowed to choose what team he wants to play for without the another team interfering? its not like hes under contract with the other team?

    (technically under this rule, couldn’t a team go out and put a discovery claim on every player in the world.)

    didn’t the same thing happen with columbus over matt jameson two ago.

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  4. I hope that they get him. Of subject, why they still have Reyna as a designated player? We all know that he is not. It is a waste of a designated pick. They need a quality attacking midfielder.

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  5. This kid sounds promising.

    Discovery claims are never wonderful. If I was a Fire fan in this situation I’d feel the same. They are just one of the myriad reasons why how our league is run is a complete and utter disgrace.

    As a fan I’d be ashamed if RBNY forced another team to give up value for a player they didn’t even want (this means you too New England).

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  6. I remember him being on trial with Reading, sounded a half-decent player and would likely accept a lowish salary just to get back in the loop.

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