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The Red Bulls’ reported plans for a trial for Honduran Under-23 forward George Welcome may be an exercise in futility because they aren’t the first MLS team to express interest in the Olympic Qualifying star.
The New England Revolution hold the first MLS discovery option on Welcome, having filed a discovery claim on Welcome during the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament back in March, a source with knowledge of the claim told SBI on Thursday. That means the Revs have first crack at signing Welcome, and it means the Red Bulls could be headed toward another Lider Marmol situation if it brings Welcome in for a look.
Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio told reporters earlier in the week that there was no plan for a trial at the moment, with a potential trial delayed by Welcome’s decision to return to Honduras to attempt to talk his way onto the Honduran Olympic team, which he was surprisingly left off of.
SBI first mentioned New England’s interest in Welcome back in May after he completed a training stint with the Revs, but no progress had been made on that front in recent months. Now with the Red Bulls expressing interest in the forward who scored the game-winning goal to beat the United States in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament final, the Revs will be in the driver’s seat with regards to any team wanting to sign Welcome.
That includes the Red Bulls, which look to be late to the party on a potential signing yet again.