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Cooper and Toja deny transfer deals being done

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                                                                    Photo by ISIphotos.com

With reports circulating about transfer deals being completed for both FC Dallas midfielder Juan Toja and forward Kenny Cooper, but MLS All-Stars denied that deals were done while a team source told SBI that multiple teams have made strong inquiries about Cooper.

Reports surfaced on Thursday citing quotes from Toja where he stated that he was set to leave for Romania on Saturday to sign a contract with Steaua Bucharest. Toja denied every saying that and clarified that no deal is in place.

“People talk a lot and I’ve tried to make it clear that while it is a great opportunity and we’re trying to get it done, nothing is certain yet,” Toja said after Thursday’s MLS All-Star Game. “The truth is nothing has happened and nothing has been signed so until something is signed then we don’t know what will happen.”

Cooper was less direct in his denial, simply stating that he was unaware of any deal being done.

"I don’t know about anything being done," Cooper said of a potential transfer to Norwegian club Rosenborg. "I tried to stay focus on this game. It’s been the highlight of my career and I just wanted to enjoy the three days in the week."

Cooper has been linked to a move to Norwegian club Rosenborg, but a source told SBI that Rosenborg is just one of three teams that have expressed interest in the All-Star striker.

Toja’s move is not a guaranteed deal either. With the current bid sitting at $700,000, the transfer could stall if FC Dallas decides the bid isn’t high enough for a young midfielder with two years left on is contract.

What do you think about Toja and Cooper possibly both leaving this summer? Do you think Rosenborg would be a good destination for Cooper? Should FC Dallas hold on to both players?

Share your thoughts below

Comments

  1. Futbolinsider, perhaps MLS could consider itself equal to the Romanian and Norwegian leagues, but do foreign players consider it that way? With the way the league operates, those two European leagues appear as an improvement over the MLS.

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  2. MLS needs to demand more for both players, frankly.

    Cooper just seems to be hitting his stride professionally. Have to believe his value is only going to increase. Besides, given the dearth of American strikers, MLS would be well-served to keep someone like Cooper unless the price is too good to pass up.

    As for Toja, $700k transfer fee is too low. His form last year alone makes him infinitely more valuable, irrespective of his sophomore campaign. Plus, his ability to play multiple positions adds even more value.

    Ultimately, MLS needs to take not only a monetary stance but also a marketing one. Losing 2 young all-star players to Premier League or La Liga teams is one thing. Losing them to Norwegian and Romanian clubs is entirely different. MLS should consider itself at least on par with those leagues. So the transfer sums be better be obscene.

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  3. kpugs is obviously in timeout right now, let him cool off…I can’t tell you how much better the reading was after he quit posting. We will be happy to welcome you back pugs once you stop thinking you have the right to start “blog brawls”…Im looking forward to reading more of your “extremely knowlegable” and very asinine posts.

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  4. Hmmmm, I think someone needs a “timeout”…..Kpugs??!!

    Dude, the personal attacks on people becuase they have a different (and it doesn’t matter whether you believe it to be ignorant or not) opnion are ridiculous and uncalled for. You sound like a 6 year old on a grade school playground having a tantrum at recess.

    I have always wondered who get sooo angry and fired-up combined with alcohol to act like a “hooligan” (see Old Firm/Columbus Crew game) in the name of “their” team!? I now know..you.

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  5. yes you’re right they are biased in argentina but not only to the US , all countries. They (we) believe in the home talent but at the same time we welcome special talented players… I dont know if you are aware, but I know that a while back independiente showed interest in F Hejduk…late nineties? I remeber that , he wouldve worked out great. Very S American style.

    I clearly think Donovan would shine in our league. masteoeni comes to mind too. I think it would be great for US players growth and to learn about real pressure (more so than Europe) you know, the media and fans. If you make there… You’ll make anywhere believe me.

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  6. FCD should wait for a better offer for both players. I agree that teams should sell players when they can because that is basically the only way teams can get money. Raising the salary cap to maybe 4-5 mil would help bring in more quality young players that they could then sell for money.

    But my question is how does the league expect to have quality competition if they keep expanding. Most teams have no depth beyond the starting 11 as it is and now MLS wants to spread the talent out among more teams.

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  7. Some of you guys seem to think that if MLS clubs operated as separate franchises without salary restrictions, they would overspend on players and clubs would go out of business, like the NASL. What confuses me about this argument is that nearly all European/Mexican/South American/other clubs do operate without any of the salary restrictions of the MLS and all of these leagues are healthy. What is the difference? Why can club owners from all other parts of the world stay afloat without restrictions but American clubs would collapse?

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  8. @brett…. yes DEV contracts should be at least in my opinion 45-50k …. its sad that a person like me could be making more at Mc D’s then a MLS player (no i do not work at MC D’s)…. or get rid of the DEV slots…. DEV players should be acadamy players in the youth systems not MLS players…. if your on the team you should be ready to play when your name is called… not in two years…. to get ready you have acadamy’s and college soccer to develop your game…. and if your not ready after that then theres the USL for you

    IMO…. there shouldnt be DEV contracts it should be all senior spots and then the international spots…. 32 man roster would be best …. but i am not the commish and i dont make those decisions…. once your a MLS player your a PRO not a player in DEV…. and plus look what we can do with a crappy 2.3 if we get a 5.0 with allocations cap then we are looking for a huge improvement….

    like what osorio said with the funds we have now your going to look at players in there 30’s if we get a lot more money then we look in to europe can get guys in there early 20’s

    -lakaix15

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  9. Robert you are missing the point. Early in the blog it was stated that the Norwewgian league was better than Sweden’s and on par with Denmark. In my rationale that would lead me to believe the domestic talent, which provides the back bone of any domestic league, would also be better or at least level with those to countries. I was jsut looking for some one to explain to me why we don’t see more of them.

    And I don’t want to debate where Norway would be if put in the CONCACAF pool. I know they would be third at best.

    It would be cool if more Argentine’s would be open to American playing in their league like you suggest. I assume it’s the same there as in most countries with regards to the bias against US players. Do you see the day that a club like your goes after an American?

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  10. Norway would qualify to wcups if they’re rivals were Bermuda, Bahamas, and with only the US & Mex as contenders. Norway is with all the Europeans!! So to say Norwegian league is below MLS because of that is kind of idiotic. I’ll just say both leagues MLS and Norway are very good… Not top ten but good.

    I’m argentinean but I support this league and want it to become at least top 5 someday but its far from that yet. Im also a big K cooper fan … He reminds me of Martin Palermo in his style of play. Even physically I call him el “loco” cooper… I wish US players would go to arg league too I would love to see him at my team Independiente.

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  11. @tom – England is USUALLY in every major tournament, right? How often do you see Norway in the WC or the EUROs. Let’s not slice hairs here. England is a bad example. Most of the leagues are there also to develop there national teams talent. That’s why there are foreign player limits, etc. That leads me back to my question…where are the Norwegian internationals? Where is the Norwegian national team in the big tourneys? It was mentioned they have a better league than Sweden and level with Denmark. They have success on the international level….why not Norway?

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