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New Left Wing Candidate for Red Bulls: Jorge Rojas?

Jorge_rojas

With the clock ticking toward the end of the MLS transfer window, a new player has surfaced as a potential target for New York Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio.

Venezuelan national team left winger Jorge Rojas is expected to join the Red Bulls on trial this week, joining Scottish defender Chris Innis among players Osorio is taking a late look at. Rojas has left his current club, Union Atletico Maracaibo, which is set to face Chilean club Colo Colo in Copa Libertadores action on Thursday. Rojas saw action as a substitute in the team’s 1-1 tie vs. Deportivo Italia on Saturday.

This report quotes a source saying that Rojas’ current club, Venezuelan squad Union Atletico Maracaibo, is ready to unload the former America de Cali winger in order to help the club’s financial situation. If Rojas is indeed a transfer target, the Red Bulls would likely have to pay a transfer fee using an allocation in order to secure Rojas’ services.

Rojas, 30, has made 78 appearances for Venezuela, scoring in the Venezuela’s recent friendly against Hait on Feb. 8. Here is that goal (the goal sequence starts about 30 seconds into the clip):

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCBOTDqWt3E&hl=en]

SBI has also learned that Osorio has targeted an as-yet-unidentified Venezuelan central defender as a potential signing, but it remains unclear whether that player will arrive in time for Osorio to get a look at him before the transfer window closes on April 15. Osorio has made it clear that he wants to see any players he considers signing in person.

What do you think of the Red Bulls making a play for Rojas? Think Osorio should stick with Van Den Bergh on the left wing? Think the signing is good because it paves the way for Van Den Bergh to slide into central midfield?

Share your thoughts below

Comments

  1. that man is going to be by far the best winger of the MLS he is a master, was elected the best foreing player of the COLOMBIAN CHAMPIONSHIP which is a lot better than the MLS for now.. he is loved in COLOMBIA AND VENEZUELA , he had also played in BOCA JUNIORS in argentina. I am Venezuelan and i am from MARACAIBO I know what I say MUCH BETTER THAN ANY OF YOUR PLAYERS maybe with ANGEL , 2 million dollars is a bargain for him 😀 good luck NY RED BULLS FANS 😀 VIVA VENEZUELA

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  2. i like this move a lot. i really liked what i saw from rojas in the copa america last year, IMO he was the best player on the pitch for the Venezuelan team, better even than that guy they have playing in La Liga. I really hope the Red Bulls land this guy, because he has a great touch on the ball, can dribble very well, and has great speed. i would feel very safe to have a fullback of his caliber on our backline.

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  3. To say the Colombian league is better than MLS is laughable! I can’t remember every name but Sergio Galvan Rey, Alex Comas, Adolpho Valencia. Do those names ring a bell?? Sure, Adolpho had a great season with Metro. But that was it…a SEASON!

    I agree that it’s better to have a guy that plays well than a name that is well known. There are a bunch of well known names to have come to MLS only to falter.

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  4. Matt- Doh! i clearly forgot to type what i meant to type…

    when i mentioned both Wanchope and Conde, i meant to point out he was 50% of talented players brought in… but then lets look at the chemistry and team work with conde… again did well last season, but has shown every trait in a player i dont want this season….

    and while i may be a bitter on the way Osorio went about his actions and the way he thinks he can do anything he wants, i wont take away from his ability to coach…

    in fact the only silverlining i see is that Osorio is coaching Jozy…with his final year in the MLS, i dont know if theres a better coach to prepare him for the jump to europe…

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  5. I thought Conde was excellent for you last season. How was that a bad signing? Wanchope is another matter. Watching him stagger around Giants Stadium like an arthritic 80-year old was not a pleasant experience.

    As for your last point – no doubt. Osorio still has a lot to prove. The one player he brought in to NY so far – Echeverry – showed some flashes of skill on Saturday but who knows what will happen with him (or whichever other players Osorio brings in)? So the jury is still out.

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  6. Matt- Lol…. bitterness?? simply saying that Osorio is not well-known for both finding talented players and creating squads with a lot of chemistry and teamwork…

    while Osorio may be good at getting underperforming players to perform, i think blanco and the return of Rolfe had alot to do with the up-turn chicago had last season as well… Osorio brought in Conde and Wanchope, so his ability to find talented players is not necessarily true… simply bringing in players he’s previously coached….

    id take DC’s ability to draw foreign talent over Osorio….

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  7. irishapple21 -“Osorio is well-known for both finding talented players and creating squads with a lot of chemistry and teamwork.”

    Wanchope was a prime example of that O.o

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  8. ive seen the guy plau and imo he’d be hands down the best left mid in the MLS if he can still play like he did at Atletico Nacional in Colombia.

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  9. JCO won’t be able to sign this guy anyways – remember he’s got two spaces reserved in the locker room, and salary cap set aside, for Lider Marmol and Wilman Conde…

    Uh, right.

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  10. Who needs another left winger? The Red Bulls already have one of the best young left-wingers in MLS, Jozy Altidore. He really thrives out wide, anyone who knows anything about soccer (and I think it’s obvious from my attitudes that I think I know more than anyone) could see he’s most valuable in that position.

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  11. Osorio could make a starting 11 out of rumors? The most striking thing about the search for these mystery targets of his is that there have been almost no rumors (until now) about who they are.

    Anyway, someone on the Metrofanatic board has seen him throughout his career and says he’s very much what the team needs.

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  12. You can’t have too many good players! We should take anyone who makes the team better, especially since we have the cap space. I do think DVDB is better playing wide, however.

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  13. Osorio is well-known for both finding talented players and creating squads with a lot of chemistry and teamwork. Maybe Rojas is the right guy for us. I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt to Osorio until he shows me he doesn’t deserve it.

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  14. I don’t know him so can’t get excited, but its good to hear that he’s a player that plays a position we need. Also he’s in his nat team pool (and Venezuela has been an improving team the last few years). Coach will get his look and decide. Hopefully he’ll prove to be a good addition. I don’t need a name I know, I need a person who can play well.

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  15. Moving DVB to the center would be a good thing and if this is who JCO is looking at for the left you know he will have some pace. In any event, as has been stated above depth is good as is competition for starting position.

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  16. Anything to improve this team will be accepted by me so lets see we do need some improvement so all these moves are welcome.

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  17. Depth is never a bad thing … we could use this guy as competition in training and if he earns a starting spot it opens up the possibility of VDB to contribute in the middle as well … and with the hot summer months its never bad to have options

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  18. 30 is not old and we don’t have left wing “covered”. No idea how good he really is, but if he’s an upgrade, it would be great to put him on the left and move VDB to the middle.

    I’m just excited to have a name, frankly.

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  19. I don’t know why you guys are brushing off Rojas without really giving him a chance as I doubt most (if any) of you have actually seen him play. I have and he’s not a bad player, he played in Colombia for a while and the colombian league is still a notch above MLS.

    I do agree with everyone’s general assesment of getting younger players instead of older guys but I trust in JCO and we should give him at least 2 more games before we start throwing daggers at the guy. 🙂

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  20. Can’t say I know the player, but if he’s getting serious time with Venezuela – no longer a doormat in S America – then it looks worthwhile to me.

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  21. DVDB has done well so far on the left wing. Not sure if getting someone on the Venezuela national team is really much of an upgrade. I misread it first, I thought it read “Argentina” instead of baseball-crazed Venezuela and got all excited for you NYRB fans.

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  22. We don’t really have left wing covered…Osorio likes VDB more in the middle, and Borman is young and a little raw…

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  23. Viva la …er, Venezuela?

    bleh, get some real talent! I hear Ronaldinho is looking for a new squad.

    ~muwhahahhahahahhahhhahaa! 😉

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