By VINCE MADURI
Seattle Sounders’ recently acquired forward Obafemi Martins will miss the CONCACAF Champions League second leg against Santos Laguna after the Nigerian picked up an injury to a tendon above his knee. The forward has already left the team to seek treatment and had been ruled out of the first leg Tuesday night.
“He’s had this injury before and he was treated by a doctor, so we’ve let him go back to see that doctor,” Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid said. “Then he’ll be back early next week. We’ll be in communication and hopefully whatever the guy did the last time will resolve it and he’ll be able to do it again.”
Martins has yet to score his first goal with the club since being acquired from Spanish club Levante.
Here are some more stories from around MLS:
EARTHQUAKES ADD LOCAL FORWARD TO BOLSTER DEPTH
The San Jose Earthquakes signed Bay Area native Alexandre Gonzalez Emerson Thursday to strengthen the team’s forward depth.
Gonzalez Emerson, who is only 20-years-old, had played for Mexican side Necaxa since he was only the age of 12. The forward broke into the first team for the club in 2012 but instead decided to pursue an opportunity for his local club San Jose. Gonzalez Emerson played for the Earthquakes in preseason, scoring two goals.
The young Emerson joins a club loaded at the forward position with the likes of reigning MVP Chris Wondolowski, Steven Lenhart, Alan Gordon, Michael Fucito and rookie Adam Jahn.
RAPIDS STILL CAUGHT IN A BATTLE FOR CAMEROONIAN ELOUNDOU
Almost three months after announcing the Colorado Rapids had signed 18-year-old Cameroonian Charles Eloundou, the forward remains in his homeland and not with the club.
Rapids technical director Paul Bravo talked about the battle between the Cameroon FA and Colorado Wednesday.
“I think we’re close to getting a resolution with his situation,” Bravo said. “What we’ve put together is a timeline of the events and MLS proceeds us getting the players right. MLS signed him back in December when he turned 18, and that has started the timeline. Unfortunately, it has taken much longer that we hoped and expected.”
The forward is training in Cameroon a few months after making his full international debut for his homeland at just 18-years-old. With Eloundou’s stock rising, several Cameroon clubs are trying to get money out of the player before they turn him over to MLS.
The Cameroon FA and U.S. Soccer have now gone to FIFA to sort out the situation.
“It’s up to the Cameroon FA to respond to the U.S. Soccer request [for Eloundou]. And then it’s up to the league to request from the federation to submit that stuff to FIFA, and then for FIFA to take action,” Bravo said, while adding that the Eloundou move is not a loan as originally thought, but a purchase. “The next step is hopefully to get a ruling from FIFA.”
RAPIDS’ HARBOTTLE OUT 4-6 WEEKS
The Colorado Rapids have confirmed that Chilean winger Kevin Harbottle is set to miss 4-6 weeks after spraining his left knee in training last Friday. The 22-year-old underwent an MRI on Tuesday which confirmed the injury.
Harbottle has already begun rehabilitation on the knee while the club is set to face Real Salt Lake on April 6th.
QUICK KICKS
New England Revolution are monitoring goalkeeper Matt Reis’ knee injury: REPORT
Philadelphia Union welcomed Brazilian Kleberson to the area: REPORT
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What do you think of these developments? Starting to worry about Martins’ signing?