The Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA are not alone in their search for a designated player slot.
The Chicago Fire is actively pursuing a designated player slot, sources told SBI on Monday. The Fire, which currently has Cuauhtemoc Blanco in its own designated players slot, is attemping to trade for a second designated player slot for the 2008 season.
Chicago’s quest for a second DP slot suggests that new owner Andrew Hauptman is serious about giving the Fire the resources to be a title contender in 2008. It also suggest that the Fire is ready to spend the money it received from the Red Bulls for letting head coach Juan Carlos Osorio go.
While there are at least three teams actively pursuing designated player slots, it remains unclear which, if any, teams are ready to deal them. Los Angeles and Chicago are both flush with cash and draft picks so you should expect at least one of them to be able to pry a DP slot away from a team that isn’t interested in footing the hefty bill for a designated player.
Can Chicago really afford the designated player slot? The allocation money received in the Osorio transaction should help, as will the retirements of Chris Armas and Paulo Wanchope.
What say you Fire fans? Like the idea of a second designated player? Who would you go get with that slot? Share your thoughts below.