Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By DAN KARELL
Not completely satisfied with his current roster, Toronto FC manager Ryan Nelsen is still looking to bring in a couple of players before the May 6 transfer deadline.
Though moves for Bolton midfielder Kevin Davies and midfielder Maximiliano Urruti of Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina fell through in the last two days, Nelsen is closing in on another Argentine player.
Matias Laba, a midfielder for Argentinos Juniors and a former member of Argentina’s U-20 National Team, is expected to complete a transfer to TFC by Sunday, with an official announcement to come later this week. The 21-year-old has made 19 starts for his Buenos Aires-based club this season.
It had been previously reported that Nelsen was close to a deal with Urruti and Newell’s Old Boys, but that was before manager Gerardo Martino decided the midfielder was too important to lose in the middle of their season. On Wednesday, Davies reportedly hit a contract snag, causing his proposed move to Toronto to disintegrate.
Here are some more stories from around the league to get you caught up:
FIRE INTERESTED IN POLAND INTERNATIONAL MILA
Chicago Fire manager Frank Klopas is ready to use any geographical advantages he can to bring in some new talent. In the case of Poland international midfielder Sebastian Mila, the large Polish population in the Windy City could work perfectly.
“It’s like Warsaw here, you’ve got a million Polish people,” Klopas said. “It’s like home.”
Though Klopas made clear that there was no offer on the table for the 30-year-old, the Fire manager confirmed that there was clear interest on both sides.
“If you’re saying we’re signing the guy tomorrow, no,” Klopas said. “Is a deal on the table? No. Does the guy want to come to the US? Yes.”
Mila currently plays for Slask Wroclaw in Poland’s top division, the Ekstraklasa. This season, Mila has made 30 starts for his side in all competitions including the early rounds of the Champions League, scoring nine goals.
PORTLAND TO PLAY MONARCAS IN JULY
The Portland Timbers announced on Tuesday that they would be hosting a friendly match on July 3 at JELD-WEN Field against Liga MX side Monarcas Morelia.
The match is the inaugural version of “Copa Verde,” a promotional campaign to help local outreach programs through “Somos Timbers,” a platform to help Hispanic youth development, education, and health in the Portland area. Each year the Timbers will invite a new Mexican club to take part in Copa Verde.
Monarcas currently sit in fifth-place in the Liga MX standings, with 24 points from 15 games, and have not lost a match since the middle of February.
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What do you make of these reports? Do you see TFC bringing in more than just Laba? Do you think Klopas should sign Mila before July? Do you like the new Portland initiative?
Share your thoughts below.