Top Stories

Report: Rapids in talks with Carlos Vela

Photo by Sam Sharpe/USA TODAY Sports
Photo by Sam Sharpe/USA TODAY Sports

Carlos Vela has long been rumored to be MLS-bound, and it appears that the Colorado Rapids have emerged as the most likely destination.

Reports from Bola VIP state that the Mexican international is in talks with the Rapids over a potential deal that could take shape as soon as next month.

“The Colorado Rapids are very interested in Carlos Vela,” the club’s director of soccer Claudio Lopez told Bola VIP. “We have already entered talks with Real Sociedad and the player.”

A representative from the Rapids issued no comment to SBI regarding potential talks.

Vela has reportedly been pursuing a move away from Real Sociedad for quite awhile, and has been linked with a move back to North America for several months. Complicating matters is that the Mexican international is currently under contract with the Spanish club until 2018, allowing the club to place a reported $16 million price tag on the acquisition of Vela’s services.

Rapids vice president of soccer operations Paul Bravo confirmed on Nov. 10 that the Rapids would have first crack at signing Vela as the team maintains discovery rights to the right winger.

“We have the first crack at signing him,” Bravo said, according to the Denver Post. “There’s a reason why he’s on our discovery list. We communicate that up as well when we do put players like that on because we don’t want to be frivolous about who we put on our discovery list.”

What do you think of the reports? How would Vela fit in with the Rapids?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Not Gonna Happen! While Vela, at the age of 26 with a good scoring record (11+) goals a season at RS, in a good league, is solid for 3+ year contract.The transfer price until 2017 will be in the range of 10+ Mil US. (Asking 16M now) Why would a team that Kroenke owns (Arsenal) sell a player for 3M US and buy him back for his other (less wealthy) club (Rapids)for 10+ M. 4 years later?

    Kroenke did not become a Real Estate Billionaire by selling land for a low amount and buying it back later for more money.

    Reply
    • You reference Arsenal and Rapids as if Kroenke is even aware he owns both. Maybe at tax season he remembers, but that’s probably it.

      Reply
  2. $16 Million for this guy? Even at half, there would be no takers.

    Why don’t you get Michu for free, at least it won’t cost you $16 M.

    Reply
    • Yep. If I were an MLS GM, when news broke that he was on the way out, I would have asked where should we send the Brinks truck? LOL

      Reply
  3. It’s called leveraging a new deal. 90% chance this is his agent putting it out there. Would be something if he did come though.

    Reply
  4. For Rapids, but an awful move for Vela. Unless they back a dump truck full of cash in the region of what they are paying Kaka, Pirlo, or Lampard, I would never sign for Rapids. What a disaster.

    Reply
    • Additionally, if Sociedad is asking in the neighborhood of $15 million, it doesn’t make much financial sense to me. For that amount of money you could get 3 excellent players. this makes no sense for either Colorado or MLS from a financial point of view.

      Reply
      • Terrible move for both sides, Colorado would have to pay 16m euros for the transfer plus Vela’s salary and going to MLS is a massive step back, also Vela is not even close to being a popular mexican figure and is known for being lazy and doesn’t like pressure which is probably why he wants to move to MLS.

      • Making sense is not something the Rapids management likes to do. See: Pablo getting a third season, dismantling a playoff team for MLS journeymen that produced such dreck the past two years, paying Kevin Doyle $1.2 mil a year, resigning Nick Labrocca, could go on and on.

        I would blame a certain legal plant, but this has been going on well before that.

    • I don’t understand this either. Makes no sense. Why would he consider leaving La Liga for one of the worst MLS teams whose home games are sparsely attended? I guess the answer is money…what else could it be?

      Reply

Leave a Comment