Here are some Red Bulls news and notes following Tuesday’s training session:
Head coach Juan Carlos Osorio said that the club does not have plans to bring in Venezuelan international Jorge Rojas for a trial. Osorio stated that he is familiar with Rojas and rates him as a good player who would not need a trial to be signed, but Osorio believes he is out of the club’s price range. Whether that changes would be up to Rojas. One thing Osorio did not do is deny that the club is interested in the player.
Chris Innes will spend the next two weeks with the Red Bulls and is not bound by the MLS transfer window since his contract with Scottish club Gretna was terminated. He did mostly fitness training on Tuesday.
Dane Richards said his knee is ahead of schedule and thinks he should resume full training very soon. Richards believes he will be back playing well before the June predictions set out when his injury was first revealed.
Osorio had no news on the Lider Marmol situation but sources close to Marmol have told SBI that MLS has rejected a counter-offer from Marmol’s representatives of $150,000. Sources say Marmol was offered a $100,000 contract, which he turned down. Neither side appears ready to budge and Osorio stated today that he doesn’t foresee the Red Bulls waiting beyond this week for a resolution on the matter.
Matt Kassel continues his adjustment period to first team training and there is still no word on when his contract situation. He is expected to train with the club throughout the week.
No word yet on who the Red Bulls will use in central defense in place of suspended starter Jeff Parke but Carlos Mendes is a strong candidate for the position.