By IVES GALARCEP
Juan Agudelo has hit an outstanding run of form that has the New England Revolution thinking playoffs, and has MLS wanting more money to let him leave the league early.
MLS has turned down a transfer offer of close to $750,000 to bring Agudelo to Stoke City during the summer transfer window, sources confirmed to SBI on Thursday night.
Agudelo signed a pre-contract agreement with Stoke City earlier this month, but the English Premier League club has seen two offers to release Agudelo from his contract early rejected by Major League Soccer.
Agudelo is in the final year of his MLS contract with New England. According to MLS guidelines, the final say on transfer offers for players in the final year of their MLS contracts falls on the league, and MLS has decided not to accept either offer made by Stoke City to date.
While MLS may have final say, the Revs are clearly opposed to letting Agudelo leave this summer. New England has won four of six matches to climb into fifth place in the Eastern Conference, and Agudelo’s three goals in his past two matches since returning to action from a knee injury have helped the Revs win two matches in a row and climb into a playoff place.
What do you think of this development? Think MLS is right to turn down Stoke City’s offers? See the league relenting on letting Agudelo leave four months early for $1 million? Think New England can make the playoffs without Agudelo?
Share your thoughts below.