Top Stories

MLS Ticker: FC Dallas after Schelotto; TFC target Brazilian forward Gilberto; and more

GuillermoBarrosSchelottoLanus2 (Reuters)

By DAN KARELL

While the Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew have already hired new head coaches for the 2014 Major League Soccer season, FC Dallas (and the Vancouver Whitecaps) have yet to do so.

In the case of FC Dallas, one of the reasons could be because they’re still locked in negotiations for their first-choice coach. According to a report from ESPNFC, FC Dallas management are currently in talks with former Crew legend Guillermo Barros Schelotto to take over as head coach after Schellas Hyndman announced that he would step down. The report states that the two sides are at an impasse, trying to agree on compensation for Schelotto’s club Lanus, who have the Argentine under contract until next summer.

FC Dallas’ owners, the Hunt Family, used to own the Crew before Anthony Precourt and his company bought the team this past July. While Schelotto has admitted that he’d like to return to MLS in the future and reportedly did interview for jobs with the Crew and New York City FC, the club may not be willing to let him leave.

Lanus are still within grasp of the Argentine domestic title, are currently in the final of the Copa Sudamericana with Ponte Preta of Brazil, and are qualified for next year’s Copa Libertadores, South America’s Champions League.

Here are some more stories from around MLS:

TFC LOOKING AT BRAZILIAN FORWARD GILBERTO

Toronto FC has been scouting the world for a big time striker to add to their squad, and while much of the world’s press focuses on Tottenham’s Jermain Defoe or Genoa’s Alberto Gilardino, TFC has set their sights on a young forward from Brazil.

Portuguesa forward Gilberto Oliveira Souza Júnior, otherwise known as Gilberto, is the latest player linked with a move to TFC, according to a report in the Toronto Star. The 24-year-old player, who is on-loan from SC Internacional, has scored 14 times in 24 Brazilian league appearances this season, good for fourth-best in the competition.

The report states that TFC is battling several European clubs from Spain, Italy, and Germany for Gilberto’s services. The report also states that if TFC can bring Gilberto in along with Defoe, who reportedly does want to move to Toronto, it could cost the team upwards of $50 million between the two players for contracts and transfer fees.

The Star also speculates that former TFC player and MLS MVP winner Dwayne De Rosario could be nearing a return to the Canadian club.

VENEZUELAN CLUB HOPING TO BRING IN RAPIDS’ TORRES ON LOAN

Colorado Rapids forward Gabriel Torres is a prized commodity not just in the United States but also in his home of Panama and where he used to play in Venezuela.

With former club Zamora FC qualified for the 2014 Copa Libertadores, the Venezuelan side have reportedly contacted the Rapids to inquire about a potential loan deal that would allow Torres to represent Zamora in the early rounds of the competition.

“We’ve received an initial request from Zamora, but we need to fully discuss this opportunity with our technical staff and management here at the Rapids. We haven’t gotten much past that at this point,” Rapids technical director, Paul Bravo told ColoradoRapids.com. “Gaby had mentioned that possibility to us [following the MLS season],” Bravo said, speaking of the possible loan. “And it’s an interesting idea, because it’s a long offseason and we’re looking for ways for a few of our guys to get the benefit of playing at a high level during that time.

In his first season in MLS, Torres scored three goals in seven games, including five starts. His best performance for the Rapids came in a 3-2 victory in Vancouver, scoring twice for the Burgundy wave.

 

Comments

  1. I love how people continue to suggest that TFC are “re-building”. In order to re-build something they need to have built something. What is TFC re-building from… our glory year …2009 10-11-9. Winning the Canada Cup playing against 3 teams from a lesser league (though Montreal and Vancouver showed great quality even in the USL).

    Toronto needs depth and quality around these targets. DeRo would be a start if he can regain his form of 2012, local boy Osorio is a diamond and can hopefully repeat his 2013 form, but without a linking player in the middle I still don’t see Gilardino, Gilberto, or Defoe being the answer until quality is brought in the middle of the park. KC and RSL are the best teams in MLS and play an entertaining and quality brand of soccer I enjoy…at a fraction of TFC’s payroll or future payroll.

    Toronto can throw all the money in world around, but I will suggest fans would be more inclined to come back to BMO if a good style of play is introduced rather than the garbage soccer we have had to endure….losing playing a “piecemeal”, “makeshift”, rugged football has scared me and many others away. Not sure how world class players will respond to Nelsen if he continues to preach the ugly system he had in place this year (hopefully because he did not have the talent as he so claims).

    Reply
  2. If Toronto can pull this off, it may be the greatest pickup our league has had. We’ve had bigger names and probably better players, but no one with his talent and entering their prime. Lando is the only comparable player that we had in his prime that I can think of.

    Reply
  3. I really hope that Toronto can pull of this Defoe move. Big fan of his style of play, and believe it will transfer well to MLS. Lets hope all this talk will actually be backed up this go around.

    Reply

Leave a Comment