The Los Angeles Galaxy's search for Juninho's replacement has ended with Juninho himself.
The Sao Paulo central midfielder is on his way back to Los Angeles for another loan spell with the Galaxy. Multiple reports out of Brazil say that Sao Paulo manager Emerson Leao had no plans to use the 23-year-old Juninho, who signed a new three-year deal with Sao Paulo during the MLS offseason. According to a team release, the loan will span the 2012 MLS season.
In addition to Juninho returning, the Galaxy also announced that they've acquired the full rights to former Sao Paulo centerback Leonardo, who is still on the comeback trail from a torn ACL and LCL, on a free transfer.
After initially losing Juninho, the Galaxy added Marcelo Sarvas from Alajuelense and acquired Kyle Nakazawa from the Philadelphia Union. Now that his return is completed, they'll both provide backup depth for the Brazilian and David Beckham, as the Galaxy will return their entire starting midfield from their 2011 MLS Cup run.
Aside from losing centerback Omar Gonzalez to a torn ACL, the Galaxy's offseason has gone about as smoothly as possible. The team re-signed Beckham and Sean Franklin and had Edson Buddle return from Germany before welcoming back Juninho, who will rejoin the club next week according to a Galaxy team release.
In addition to maintaining their status as favorites to repeat as MLS Cup champions, the Galaxy's chances during the knockout stage of the CONCACAF Champions League also improve with Juninho's return. The first leg of the club's quarterfinal tie with Toronto FC is set for a month from today.
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What's your reaction to Juninho's return?
Share your thoughts below.
To nullify the arguments of anyone who claims that money buys success in MLS, I present exhibit A: the New York Red Bulls
Kid- knocked it out of the park!
Looking forward to watching this team CL action. The supporters shield is really a just a head nod of an award (ok, getting into CL is nice). But if I were the Galaxy I would focus solely on CL the first part of the season. Beyond the sporting aspect of the winning it, there would be an insane amount of growth in brand recognition (for LA and MLS) by making it to the Club World Cup – with Beckham in tow
Now this is a post. I am also a DC fan and agree with everything you stated. This is going to be one heck of a season indeed.
If you want to know how good MLS really is overall, a good mark is to note that a player of Juninho’s obvious quality couldn’t crack a fairly mediocre version of a Sao Paulo side and that David Ferriera, who was MVP, had been just a pretty good mid for a mid-level Atletico Paranaense. In other words, two of MLS’ best players were fairly typical players in Brazilian league. I don’t mean to knock MLS here, as the quality on the field has obviously improved in recent years and there are undboutedly a handful of players that could be playing in better leagues. Overall, though, MLS has a long way to go.
How are the unemployment numbers cooked up? They are calculated algorithmically and are always created using the same statistics.
Saw that.
Even the players are going wtf.
Now that’s a pathetic, unnecessary and totally irrelevant swipe if I’ve ever read/seen one.
Its not up to Donovan, its up to an EPL team willing to pay what Galaxy want.
IR still counts against the salary cap, just doesn’t take up an active roster spot.
And lovely that I get to see my home team play new england an extra time and miss out on this game. BOOOO.
Might very well be a rule change this year. Timbers FO is saying Valencia won’t count against the cap for Timbers this year, either the loan deal has been arranged so the cost is 0, or an IR player doesn’t count for 2012.
I suppose only a liberal could be that “intellectually insecure” because that would require the prerequisite of actually having intellect?
Regardless, you fail for 1) simply throwing around an insult based on political ideology and 2) bring in politics in the first place.
Non-sequitur much?
As a Galaxy fan, this is great news! truly should be a solid and exciting team. We still need a replacement for Omar………
after getting kicked 4-1 by the Timbers this afternoon (yeah, it is preseason), LA MUST consider fortifying there defense…. looks porous right now.
collective groan from the entire western conference about the salary cap after seeing this news.
even kyle beckerman tweeting asking how LA manages to stay under the cap with all these players.
this is wonderful news! i’m a DC fan first, but i’m from LA (LAG weren’t around back then) and support CA teams (dodgers, raiders, etc.). so when DC isn’t playing the Galaxy, i’m rooting for them.
if it’s a loophole, then anyone can do it. not just LA. if they are breaking the rules and MLS is letting them, that is a different story. my money says they are not breaking any rules.
the truth is, until allocation money totals for each team is released on a regular basis, we don’t really know anything.
i mean, it’s basically the same team as last year…and they won SS and MLS Cup.
It’s so true that, while LA will be one of the top contenders, it is premature to crown as the next season’s champions. LA players will face the grind of several different competitions (MLS season, CCL, US Open Cup, MLS Cup, national team call ups) and the unpredictability of the playoff format. Some folks forget that one of their key defenders, Gonzalez, will be out for the whole season and many of their key players at other positions will be on the wrong side of 30: Beckham (37), Keane (32), Buddle (31), Donovan (30). Yes, players can continue to play well after 30, but normally there is a downward curve in performance and potential for injuries is greater. Beckham will still have his crossing, long range passing and free kick ability, but things will be harder for him on the defensive end, where he would have to chase younger and faster players.
If everyone stays healthy and Landon and Keane return they should have the best attack in MLS. Teams will need to out-scored them. Will Arena play Keane and Buddle together?
Sarvas is an Attacking mid or two way mid and is not a Def Mid like Juninho.
RSL made the final I wouldn’t give that distinction to the Galaxy yet
Sarvas is an AM, not Junhino a DM.
Galaxy are taking MLS to the next level.
Talk about luck. Buddle happens to flame put in Europe. Junhino happens to not factor into his Brazilian club after that club signed him to a new thee year deal.
This team is stacked. No excuses for la to not win CCL. This is bad news for RSL fans. RSL just had a good draft but buddle and juninho add instant offense and results.
Given that every other team in the league takes the full salary cap hit for players on IR, please keep talking.
Donovan should stay in England. Otherwise, Friedel was right about him.
Salary cap in 2012 is 2.81 mil
hey man, facts our facts. We draft very very well.. out two rookie of the year award winners is proof of that. We pick up role players no one wanted and they produce under bruce. (it rhymes because i rap) On top of that we scout well. These aren’t reactionary statements those are facts. If you can drop some knowledge on me that is more then just hey dude..im gonna call you names cuz you know hating on the galaxy is cool.. then by all means man we can have a civil convo about soccer in this country. Until then..
Why would the Rapids ever spend that kind of money now that they’ve proved you don’t have to spend to win?
Besides, Arsenal and the Rams are his focus.
I like all this heater asking how the Galaxy can afford to pay all this player, Well I don’t care cause now the Galaxy will have a good team that can compete with a Mexican Team in the Concacaf Champion League. wow.
—-Buddle——-Keene—
———Donovan——-
Junihio———–Beckham
———Birchall——
Dunivan–?—-DLG—Frankling
———Sounder——–
Sub at top we have: Nooman, Chrimas, Cardozo, Lopez, Stephen, Nakasawa, Hejduk Sarvas (Can’t play in the CCL because he already play with Alejuelense)
Okay, so all three dp’s count as 335K, so that’s one million of the 2.8 cap for this season.
Buddle will probably be in the 200k range, maybe more but I’m sure that will be offset by ditching Barrett and his 225K salary. If they don’t have to count Gonzalez for him going on IR (and what is with that, can IR players come back at some point because everyone keeps saying he will be back for the playoffs) then that’s another 200k.
In any case, I hope they win the CCL then the injury bug gets them and their lack of depth is completely exposed.
Name calling because some disagrees with you, while simultaneously feigning superiority and victimization — only a liberal would be that intellectually insecure.
LA signs Drogba, Ballack, Raul, and Del Piero. Arena replies to questions of salary cap, International spots: “We had a lot of allocation money.”
amen to that. I feel like I need to up my game day experience too, like buying a better quality pasta (fav dish while watching Gals) a newer Galaxy shirt and better quality stream (usually the illegal ones on justin dot whatever…watching in person is out of the question…n.cal).
Let me guess, you also support Barcelona and Manchester United. Tool.
Really??? how do you explain LD and Keane doing so well in the EPL? still very productive players in their prime.
they stopped taking bets on that one…its too obvious
it’ll be like the decreasing unemployment numbers released by the Obama administration- all cooked up. Have you ever heard of having too much fire power? Everyone aiming to be the star means there wont be team cohesion. I kid…they’ll rip everyone else up including the mexicans in ccl
same as Red Bull, Seattle Sounders, Toronto and other teams. Why the Galaxy have to be the exception?
Yeah. Juninho is huge for you guys. He almost single handly won the group stage for the Galaxy in CCL. Very happy about this from a league perspective but this sure does make the Galaxy a very tough team for sure! I’m still curious to see what gets sorted out at the back though. that could be a potential pit fall for them especially if Saunders gets injured.
careful, you’ll offend the galaxy fans
Wasn’t the whole point of owning a SSS that you were to be able to control your own facilities and such?
Move the Galaxy to Saint Louis!!!
Going by this
http://www.mlsplayers.org/files/May%201,%202011%20Salary%20Information%20-%20By%20Club.pdf
I count over 2.5 million in garanteed salaries without counting the DP’s, including Keane who wasn’t there yet as this is the May numbers.
I’m sure some of those guys are Gen Adidas and Homegrown, but I don’t think it’s a lot of them. I guess they just happened to have a TON of allocation money last year and this year… hmph.
As a DCU fan I completely agree with you and feel that most on here are only jealous especially the ones that are criticizing. I wish most of the teams in the league showed the type of commitment that AEG and Galaxy show year in and year out. It helps to have deep pockets but there are other owners in this league(Colorado, New England) that are owned by people/companies that have plenty of money and could go after these type of DP players and this type of roster but chose not to. The league would take a giant step forward if every owner showed this type of commitment and you could still have the salary cap. I am very happy with United’s off season moves and their 2 DPs while not as popular as Beckham, Keane or Donovan are very good players that will help DC and impact the league in a positive way! I like that teams like United, Seattle with Fernandez and Montero and even FC Dallas with the young kid Fabian Castillo have spent money to improve their final on the field product even if they are not the big names like NY & LA bring in. There are other teams to like Vancouver with Hassli and TFC with their 3 DPs. The fans all know the ones that are trying to improve their quality while the others sit by the side just using their cap space:( I’m excited for the 2012 season and wish LA, TFC and Seattle luck in the Champions League.
They’ve got as good a chance as any team in United States history.
Let’s see… salary cap of what, 2.4 million. The first two DP’s each count as 400,000 or so, the third counts at 350,000 with the team paying some money to the league… that leaves 1.3 million for the rest of the team. I don’t think any of the regular players are Gen Adidas or homegrown, which wouldn’t count against the cap, so yeah, even though I’m probably wrong in my numbers I’d say it’s a good bet something’s a bit fishy here that they can put together a team with some decent talent for under 1.5 million.
The LA Galaxy are basically an old age mental institution for Euro and South American players.
Yes a 6’4″ hole!. But the Galaxy’s 1st round draft choice was a 6’2″ central defender Tommy Meyer who was the last pick of the 1st round of the Super Draft. Arena is pretty confident in this guy. And before you say :He’s a rookie”, so was Omar Gonzales when he got his first start. The plan is to bring him along by letting him learn the system and get him some playing time i the Open Cup., etc. It sees the rich get richer, Not only do the Galaxxy get back Juninho, but add BUDDLE and Sarvas.
The Galaxy need it as they will have 2 Concacaf series (the tail end of this year AND the next Concacaf that starts soon after the last years ends,) plus the Open CUP, friendlies AND of course League Play.
But it’s good to have a “SuperTeam” in the League enough of this “parity”
It’s crazy that so many teams have made great roster moves over the last few months, and the Galaxy can bring back Buddle and Juninho and pretty much cancel them all out.
I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion, though. The league is getting better by the year, There could be up to 6-8 really talented teams challenging all year and in the playoffs anything can happen.