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Report: Castillo nearing move to Turkish side Trabzonspor

Photo by Tim Heitman/USA Today Sports
Photo by Tim Heitman/USA Today Sports

Fabian Castillo has dazzled MLS with his skills and superb finishes, but the FC Dallas attacker could be on the verge on realizing his dream of playing in Europe sooner rather than later.

According to Goal USA, the 24-year-old Colombian is nearing a move to Turkish club Trabzonspor after spending the last five-plus seasons with FC Dallas. The reported transfer fee is said to be in range of $3 million to $4 million.

Castillo had previously signed a five-year contract with FC Dallas back in February 2015, however, it now seems quite unlikely the winger will see out that deal.

Since joining MLS back in 2011, Castillo has appeared in 159 league matches for FC Dallas, netting 34 goals and adding 30 assists for the Western Conference side. As part of the team’s dangerous attack, Castillo has helped guide FC Dallas to the top spot in the West with 40 points in 22 matches.

What do you think of the potential move? How big of a loss will Castillo’s absence be for FC Dallas?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Not to worry- in order for something to qualify as embarrassing, someone has to be paying attention- aware that it happened. I can assure you that no one outside of MLS/the U.S. knows who Castillo is nor pays any attention to mid July MLS transfers.

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  2. That is an insult to Fabian. If Dallas and MLS let him go for $4 million then they do not know how to play the transfer market. More like $7 – $9 million for a young player of his ability, speed, and potential.

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  3. At least he is guaranteed to play before a capacity crowd of 20K plus week in and week out…as opposed to playing before 2.000 ppl or so in the suburbs of Dallas in meaningless ‘regular season’ games.

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      • Alight, FC Dallas gets about 6-8K per game, lol.
        Not sure the delusional angry demeaning comments here. Notwithstanding the current political situation in Turkey, the Turkish league is a top 10 league in Europe, and Trabzonspor is usually a very competitive side with passionate following and a regular participant in the Europa League…we are talking of this guy getting a chance to develop in a high pressure, every game matters environment and play for a well recognizable club…no one ever said that his dream was to play for FC Dallas, ever…a lot of condescending American ignorance in the comments above…

  4. There are a number of factors that go into transfer fees and transfers in general. I don’t know the details of castillos contract but it could be he’s refused to sign an extension and is content to play out the contract and leave as a free agent. If that’s the case, then 3-4millioj may be spot on. Maybe castillo demanded/requested a trade, or maybe they have a bigger transfer target in mind and need the cap space, or allocation $$ they get from the transfer. Who knows, but you don’t attract players by standing in the way of transfers, that’s for sure.

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    • Free agent in 4 years. Ridiculous for the fee is true. Anything less then 8 is insulting and it makes no sense unless Dallas needs the DP spot.

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  5. Hey, Turkey! Wow! What a great stepping stone for your future. You too can be part of the next coup attempt. Foolishness all around this deal. The offer is low, and Castillo must not have a brain in his head. Wait a little longer and get your payday.

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  6. Wow, this is going to be a huge loss for Dallas. I agree $4mil is a fools trade. For what he is worth to the team, and worth as a player, Dallas is on the losing end of this trade.

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  7. It’s my understanding MLS plays a major role in transfer negotiations when individual clubs buy or sell players to other leagues. That MLS staff member(s) should be fired.

    This speculated transfer fee is a joke. Especially when comparing what we’ve paid on the open market for incoming talent.

    It’s sincerely hard to take MLS seriously and judging by the offered transfer fees it’s clear other leagues suffer from the same issue.

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  8. I think MLS’s best team like FC Dallas needs to stop selling their most dynamic attacker to freaking TURKEY for a paltry $3.5 million. That’s what I think of this.

    Sorry, that’s embarrassing for the league, and exactly why nobody takes MLS seriously, that even a middle-of-the-table Turkish League side can come in and buy Castillo right out from under us.

    But I’m delighted Castillo is “recognizing his dream of playing in Europe.” Hey, it’s cool…it’s been at least three days since Turkey put down their latest coup d’tat, no reason why they can’t resume Business As Usual and buy out the #1 player on America’s Major League Soccer’s #1 side.

    And then out of the other side of his mouth, Don Garber claims MLS will be one of the world’s best leagues someday. Soon.

    Don, get ahold of your league. If somebody’s underselling for your players, make sure your league doesn’t freaking sell them.

    You come across as bush league because you are bush league when deals like this happen.

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    • Agree it’s upsetting and really quite confusing…. certainly MLS has not distinguished itself in its historical transfer valuations on either purchases or sales, so maybe it’s just another case of frustrating incompetence in these matters.

      Still, I have to believe there is something we don’t know…. Consistently, MLS seems to have had far less leverage in these transfers than the “known” contract details suggest. And these transaction structures are confusing as well (loans with upfront fees and subsequent buyout payments… not unheard of but hardly market standard globally). Sometimes it seems like MLS does not actually *want* to participate in the transfer market using conventional strategies and tactics…. no idea what strategy could possibly justify this, but it happens so consistently that I have to believe I am missing something.

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