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MLS Ticker: Sounders to make decision on Martinez soon; TFC to play Roma in August friendly; and more

MarioMartinez (Getty Images)

By JUSTIN FERGUSON

Since joining the Seattle Sounders on loan from Honduran club Real Espana, Mario Martinez has become a consistent option for the club’s ever-changing midfield.

But if the Sounders want to keep the Honduran international at CenturyLink Field, they have to make a decision by the end of the week.

In a recent interview, Real Espana technical director Jaime Villegas said the Sounders have until Sunday, June 30, to make a decision on Martinez’s future with the club. Villegas said that Martinez would most likely stay in Seattle.

On Tuesday, Seattle sporting director Chris Henderson told The Seattle Times the club is currently in negotiations with Martinez, his agent and Real Espana.

“A decision will be made in the next five days with (Martinez),” Henderson said. “And I think those are ongoing negotiations, so we’ll have a decision shortly on him.”

Martinez joined the Sounders on loan from Real Espana in August 2012. The current Honduran international’s first goal with the Sounders won their Western Conference semifinal against Real Salt Lake this past November.

Here are some more stories from around the league:

TFC TO PLAY ROMA IN AUGUST FRIENDLY

With a list of former opponents that includes Real Madrid, Liverpool and River Plate, it is safe to say there is an established tradition of friendlies against world soccer powers in Toronto.

That tradition is set to continue this summer when Toronto FC face off against AS Roma one week after the Serie A side battles the MLS All-Stars in Kansas City.

According to Sportsnet, TFC will host USMNT midfielder Michael Bradley and the rest of his Roma teammates at BMO Field on August 7. The club is expected to make a formal announcement on Wednesday.

The friendly for Toronto would come between an August 4 road match against New England and an August 10 home match against Seattle. The club has not lost a match against an international opponent since their 2009 meeting with Real Madrid, which ended 5-1 in favor of the La Liga giants.

DCU LEGEND MORENO TO LEAVE U-23s POST

After a three-year stint coaching the U-23s of his longtime club D.C. United, Jaime Moreno is now setting his sights on becoming the head coach of a senior team in Major League Soccer.

“Unfortunately it’s my last year here with the U-23s,” Moreno told CSN Washington. “I’m pretty much done because I want to move on too. I want to see what’s out there and I want to see what else I can do to achieve my goals, which is to become an MLS head coach one day.”

Moreno became the coach of United’s U-23s in May 2011, six months after his retirement as a player. The former Bolivian international, with the exception of a loan to Middlesbrough and a short stint with the MetroStars, has been with D.C. United since 1996.

LEVANTE’S BALLESTEROS INTERESTED IN MLS MOVE

The recent rise of foreign talent moving to MLS is showing no signs of slowing down as reports out of Spain indicate a veteran La Liga defender is interested in coming to America.

Levante center back and former club captain Sergio Ballesteros is not ready to retire from active competition, and he is reportedly considering a move to MLS to finish his playing career. According to Marca, Ballesteros had a meeting Monday with the company that handled Marcos Senna’s move to the New York Cosmos.

The 37-year-old Ballesteros has played in La Liga his entire career and was recently offered a coaching job with Levante, the club he has played for since 2008. Ballesteros is a former teammate of current Seattle Sounder forward Obafemi Martins.

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What do you make of these reports? Think the Sounders will be able to keep Martinez in Seattle? Excited to see AS Roma play another match this summer in North America? Surprised at Moreno’s decision to leave D.C. United?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. There’s been a lot of success with vets with premium experience from world class leagues around the world. I don’t see any negatives from bringing these sort of players in if they can still contribute. Especially with the expansions of our rosters and all the home growns and young guys clubs are able to hold on to nowadays. It’d be good for them to see how these guys train and prep and anything else they can soak up

    Reply
  2. Martinez has never seemed to play well for the Sounders, he scored the wonder goal in the playoffs but other than that really hasn’t produced like a lot of people had hoped. Would like to keep him but don’t think it’d be the end of the world if we couldn’t.

    Reply
  3. Jaime Moreno – read,…Ben Olson is doing a crap job and I should be the first team coach not the coach of U-23s.

    Reply

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