Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By TATE STEINLAGE
Following an impressive World Cup campaign, Matt Besler’s future at the club level could be decided soon.
The Sporting Kansas City defender is garnering “enormous interest” from overseas clubs in England, Germany, and beyond, Sporting Club CEO Robb Heineman told the Kansas City Star Thursday.
Besler’s agent Eddie Rock told the newspaper the 27-year-old Overland Park, Kan., native is weighing three options which include a contract extension with Sporting KC, a move to the English Premier League, and a transfer to Germany’s Bundesliga. Rock says a decision will probably come within the next 10 days.
“If Matt re-signs with the league now, his intentions would be to be a one-club player for the rest of his career. His goal would be to finish atop Sporting and the Wizards in all-time appearances and longest captaincy. He would try to build a dynasty there,” Rock told the Star.
Besler has spent six years with Kansas City dating back to 2009. The 2012 MLS Defender of the Year is making $200,000 in this season, which will increase to $220,000 in 2015. Per MLS rules, if Besler is indeed transferred, Sporting KC will receive two-thirds of the fee, with the league retaining the remaining one-third.
Here’s more news from around Major League Soccer:
MLS DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE SUSPENDS CASTILLO
FC Dallas forward Fabian Castillo has been suspended four games and fined for an altercation with an official following a June 11 match against the Portland Timbers.
The MLS Disciplinary Committee announced the decision Thursday after Castillo appealed the suspension through the MLS Players Union. The suspension includes “two games for the red card for violent conduct and two additional games by the MLS Disciplinary Committee,” according to the press release.
Castillo’s suspension will run through July 27. The forward will be available for regular season play on Aug. 3 when FC Dallas travel to play Chivas USA.
FIRE SEND ANONGONO TO ECUADOR ON LOAN
The Chicago Fire have sent another Designated Player packing less than a year after acquiring him.
The Fire announced on Thursday that they’ve loaned forward Juan Luis Anongono to LDU Quito in Anongono’s home nation of Ecuador for a six-month period. No other details of the loan were disclosed by the Fire, though LDU Quito claim on their website that the loan is for 12 months.
“Both the club and Juan were looking for an option for him to gain consistent playing time,” Fire head coach Frank Yallop said in a statement. “The loan has been in the works for a while now and both parties agreed that it is best that Juan return to Ecuador for the next six months and continue to play full matches. We’re looking forward to keeping tabs and monitoring his progress.”
The stocky, bruising forward signed with the Fire on July 23, 2013, but combined to score just four goals and one assist in 28 games played for the club.
IMPACT SIGN SIXTH HOMEGROWN PLAYER
The Montreal Impact announced Thursday that homegrown player Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé has signed a professional contract with the MLS side.
The 19-year-old midfielder has trained with the first team since the start of the 2014 season, while making five appearances in the PDL and two in the MLS Reserve League. Gagnon-Laparé made his professional debut on May 7 in the semifinal of the Amway Canadian Championship.
Gagnon-Laparé joined the Impact’s academy in 2011 and just recently graduated from the U23 team. Internationally, the midfielder has appeared four times for Canada, all in 2013.
REAL SALT LAKE TO PLAY CLUB TIJUANA IN MIDSEASON FRIENDLY
Real Salt Lake has joined the mix of MLS teams playing in summer friendlies.
On Thursday, the 2013 MLS Cup runners-up announced that it will play host to Club Tijuana of Liga MX on Aug. 12 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Club Tijuana finished eighth in the Mexican first division last season, and while the club has lost Americans Herculez Gomez and Edgar Castillo during the offseason, the Xolos still feature three prominent American names including Greg Garza, Paul Arriola, and Joe Corona.
Real Salt is 14-8-7 against international opposition, including 3-4-2 all-time against Mexican teams.
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Do you see Besler making the jump to the EPL or Bundesliga? If so, how much should Sporting KC sell him for? Do you agree with Castillo’s four-game suspension? How do you see Real Salt Lake fairing against Club Tijuana?
Share your thoughts below.