Omar Bravo is gone. David Beckham could be gone. Nicolas Anelka isn't coming.
The Designated Player landscape in MLS is changing and evolving, and even with teams having the flexibility to go after younger DP options or giving players like league veteran Shalrie Joseph a DP deal, the lure of landing a big-name, marketable superstar is still prevalent. As the Los Angeles Galaxy proved last season, spending big money on the right players can pay off with a championship, but it's not only big-city clubs like L.A. and New York that are players in the DP market anymore.
There are a number of players who have been rumored to be joining MLS, and the rumblings continue to grow as the European winter transfer window and MLS preseason approach. Names like international veterans Alessandro Del Piero, Didier Drogba and Michael Ballack (who are all out of contract this summer) have been tossed around as serious options — either this winter or during the summer window — for a league that continues to gain traction across the globe.
Which potential DP would you most like to see join MLS? Cast your vote after the jump:
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How did you vote? Who do you want to see come to MLS? Is there any realistic option not on this list that you think would make a good fit for your team? Would you rather see teams skew toward younger, unproven DPs as opposed to older, more-established veterans?
Share your thoughts below.
Lot of players would love to play for Portland and their fans…they will get a big name DP.
There is less competition for teams like Chelsea in their league. The parity in this league makes it tough to come and dominate. Ask Beckham, Henry, etc.
No, the DP model has been the strength of the league for the past 6 years. There has to be a mix, but 4 DP’s and the level of the league will jump once again.
Toronto doesnt need Seedorf. A team like Philly could really use him.
I want to see Gattuso play for the NY… Giants.
They played attacking football that was fun to watch, I hope more Ruud’s come.
Guti fits in perfectly into the middle for SKC, I hope they have their eye on him.
MLS needs to go to 4 DP’s…Teams like LA, NY, Seattle will definitely take advantage and other teams will be forced to bring up their quality of play.
Moneywise MLS wouldn’t have to recoup the cost of salary through merchandise sales if they bring in younger DP’s with an eye to sell-on later.
MLS is best set out of the leagues in China, Japan, Russia, Middle-East to attract South American players due to its location and culture (Hispanic culture/TV etc). But if the players are interested in $$$ they’re gonna head to China/M.E.
However LA Galaxy just signed a 10 year $55m TV deal a little way to go till they match the like of LA Angels $3 Billion Over 20 Years. Though MLS was paying to be on TV just a few years ago.
MLS needs to rework it schedule, break for World Cups and should move Play-offs out of the most congested sports months in Oct/Nov to July/Aug. Attracting fans from other sports as well as close season European fans.
Yeah all of Lakewood, NJ would be thrilled…
RONALDINHO TO LA Galaxy remember he was almost on the move to LA, Diego Forlan to Seattle, Del Piero to RedBull, Montreal Get Ballack, Chivas USA another Mexican (Ramon Morales), Seedorf to KC Sporting, Lampart to Phyllis. Maybe Be bend the rules again for my belove it Galaxy Guti.
Umm, people in Russia also think that Moscow and St. Petersburg are the only places worth mentioning in that country. I mean, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg or Rostov-on-Don are really very, very distant third place cities. Chicago, Toronto, San Francisco, Montreal and Seattle are nowhere near that bad.
+1,000,000.
Our youngsters benefit from having them around.
+1, but switch Drogba and Lampard
I can’t understand why MLS doesn’t try and get more loan signings, there’s lots of European based players who only get 10-15 games a season. Surely MLS could start to try and sign these players for 2-3 month loan June-Aug/Sep, just like Euro teams get MLS players Jan-Mar. Players like Benayoun, Chamakh, Ireland, Ferreira, Kalou, Maxi Rodriguez, Macheda, Pienaar, Giovani…
That’s what they say about every big name that comes…there is always an adjustment period….even for the likes of Beckham and Henry
Either way-we agree!
PLUS- I think the younger DP thing is to encourage teams away from the “retirement DP” mentality”. Some of these guys just arent worth the $$$ at this point. Everyone knows Beckham and Henry, but the kids in my daughters Jr. High school won’t race out and buy a Keane, Raul, or Lampard jersey like they did for Beckham. They just arent known outside of soccer fans, thus the jersey’s don’t sale to recoup the cost.
Maybe I should have read before posting. Sciroccer said it better!
I would love to see Drogba, of those listed above. That said, I’d wager money on it NOT happening within the next year or two, if ever. He’s able to play at the top level still. Plus, I cannot see us offering up enough money to compete with what they can make at the top level, or as we just saw with Anelka, in A$ia
I think everyone that believes Drogba,and Lampard are coming here now isn’t looking at it from the players perspective. These guys can still play, and don’t have anything past soccer to lure them here. No model girlfriend, or Tom Cruise. They don’t want to live in Denver, Kansas City, or anywhere outside of NY, and LA. If they have the option (which they will) to play in Japan, or France, etc. They will take it just to be in a higher profile league. They’ll get the money no matter where they go, and I would bet other countries can pay more also. I think Lamp’s stays in the EPL at home with his dad til he retires completly.
When did he say that? All the stories I’ve seen lately suggest he wants to come to MLS so he can play another couple of years, at least — instead of retiring.
I feel the same way.
Yes, I’ll buy that for uneducated Euro footballers. They live a fairly insular existence. However, for the average European, they know a lot about the US. To wit, if you go to any National Park in the US in the summer you’re gonna run into enough Euros to get a little kick-about going practically anytime.
You missed the moon and hit Neptune.
Except that it’s Houston.
I’ll second that. Do our votes count?
Yeah, yeah, that’s a criticism we all have.
Too bad French-speaking North America is colder than a witch’s nip.
hehe
I think the MLS has a “No Ruud Policy” in place, ever since that other Ruud left LA…
If we’re going to shoot for the moon, then I’ll shoot for the moon.
Neymar.
DPs are usually one player, so I don’t think Tottenham would be a good choice as a DP.
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I’m in for Raul – sure, he may have lost a step, but I think he’s a fairly household name for those that are any bit knowledgeable about soccer, and I don’t think he has too much left in the tank for top-level football, which would make him a great player for MLS, particularly for a young team to learn professionalism and what the job is all about…all while selling shirts and merch.
I understand your point. I, perhaps naively, believe that some former stars coming to MLS are prepared give it everything that they have left.
As for someone like Ballack who came right out and said that MLS is for retirement – well, he can go play in China or Doha.
True, but some of these guys are playing pretty well for top European teams right now. These aren’t “name” players lapping up crumbs from the bottom of the table second-tier leagues or second division teams. Absent health issues, there is no reason why a modern soccer player can’t remain in top form through their mid-to-late 30s. If MLS gets a few years in that range, then great.
I’m stunned Ballack isn’t get more love. Like Beckham, he helps control midfield but just as importantly he can be a lethal set piece taker. Beckham and Brad Davis proved how valuable that skill can be this year.
+1000
We should only be so lucky. Not a retirement league, but a place for those looking for a new challenge before they have to hang ’em up. More players like Beckham, Blanco, and Henry — players who raise the level of play in MLS? I’ll take ’em all in a New York minute.
Please tell me you voted for drogba then…
Best two clubs had two different approaches to DPs. LAG with the older well known stars, Seattle with the younger DPs. Yes, the Sounders didn’t make a good run in the playoffs, but it doesn’t help that the second place team overall gets seeded with the third place team overall in the same bracket as the first place team overall. It was pretty much a guarantee the best teams would not meet in the MLS Cup final.
None. MLS isn’t a retirement league.
I didn’t vote for Drogba, because I believe that’s sheer fantasy. Not gonna happen. If Anelka didn’t come here, with his brother’s ties here, Drogba isn’t coming either. There’s way too much money waiting for him somewhere else.
I voted for Ballack, because I’m convinced he wants to come here. The question there is simply which team or teams would he accept, and which teams will make an acceptable bid.
I also think Seedorf would like to come here, but I also think he’d be just as content to finish up in Europe at a high level. It’s a matter of timing with him.
Also, I hold out hope that both of these guys would be willing to play for DC United. I don’t think the other guys on the list would.
Forlan is a great choice (and I’m not a big Forlan fan). Here’s why: in MLS, the DP can’t afford to be a great player surrounded by a bunch of pretty good players (like Henry was with Arsenal in his prime). Instead, you need to build the team around him. He needs to be a guy who can put the team on his shoulders at times-the “go to” guy. LA and Beckham was an exception this year b/c of the number of DPs and the quality of the roster.
Forlan is a guy who–on a solid but not great Uruguay–showed that he can truly be the guy who everyone knows is going to get the ball, everyone knows you’re counting on him to make the big play, everyone knows he can’t afford to show up sick or off his game. In short, he’s shown that he’s capable of being a guy you can build a team around (or to use Bob Gansler’s phrase: a piano player surrounded by a bunch of piano movers).
How about bbocanegra, gooch, dos santos, vela, dmb and dolo
I agree that Drogba can still play at a high level. I’m not so sure he would destroy most MLS center backs.
First, he wouldn’t get the service he’s used to. Second, he’d be outraged at the referring. Third, MLS is a pretty physical league, it’s not like Drogba going to Spain or France where he’d be a man among boys. He’d be faster and as strong and as tall (or taller) as most MLS CB’s. But MLS plays pretty physical soccer and most foreign players (including those coming from England) say it’s an adjustment to how physical it is.
Look as much as you want to say guys like Drogba, Lampard, etc.. would want to come to the MLS and play its not that far fetched, but these guys don’t want to go to Columbus, Portland, Salt Lake, etc…. They want to go to places that they’ve heard of, traveled to, etc.. this means LA and NY for the most part. Not too mention these are the 2 most well known clubs. You can say what you want, but your more likely to run across someone overseas who knows Galaxy and Red Bull long before you run across a guy who know Real Salt Lake or Sporting Kansas City.. just saying.. Folks who say the Timbers should attract a big name DP forget about it..
I think the problem is this: most European players don’t know much about America. The two cities with the most glitz in terms of getting on the covers of fashion magazines, big social events, and entertainment are LA and NYC. And so you get players thinking “yeah, I’ll go into semi-retirement, start dating a supermodel, maybe get into the movies…yeah, that’s the ticket.” It’s kind of like most Americans (unless they’ve traveled in Europe or have Italian heritage) think that the best places to be in Italy are Rome and Milan (in terms of happening cities) or people outside of Russia think that Moscow and St. Petersburg are the only places worth mentioning in that country.
Raul’s contract expire this summer, he’d be a good Beckham replacement for LA. Sol Campbell, Hernán Crespo, Eddie Johnson, Marcus Hahnemann, would be a good adds to MLS.
Though would be nice for MLS to change DP ruling, capping the total salaries of DP’s to say $10m per team rather then limited DP’s. Then teams could sign say 5 DP’s on $2m rather then 2 DP’s on $5m. Just saying NYRB could have much better team that way, and MLS wouldn’t have the lopsided talent pool.