Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By DAN KARELL
Jerry Bengtson’s star crossed time in Boston is over.
The New England Revolution announced on Friday morning that they’ve sent the Honduras international forward on loan to Argentine club Belgrano through June 30, 2015. Belgrano are gearing up for the brand-new Torneo de Transicion after finishing in a disappointing 15th-place out of 20 teams in the Torneo Final.
The news ends Bengtson’s two-year run with the Revolution, where he came to Gillette Stadium with high expectations that never truly materialized. In his time with the Revolution, the Designated Player signing managed just four goals in 37 league matches, often finding himself either lower on the depth chart or away from the club on international duty.
Bengtson, despite his club struggles, was a regular for Honduras in the past two years, taking full part in World Cup qualifying, the 2012 Summer Olympics, and the World Cup this summer.
Here are some more notes from around MLS:
DYNAMO WRAPPING UP GARRIDO SIGNING
The Houston Dynamo are closing in on their second major signing of the week.
According to multiple reports out of Houston, the Dynamo are putting the finishing touches on a deal to acquire Honduras international midfielder Luis Garrido on loan from Honduras club Olimpia. The reports state that the Dynamo will have an option to purchase Garrido at the end of the loan and that visa issues have delayed the signing from being completed sooner.
Garrido, 23, started the first two matches in central midfield for Honduras at the 2014 World Cup, and has earned 22 caps in his career. Garrido would join fellow Hondurans Oscar Boniek Garcia and Alex Lopez at the club, as well as U.S. Men’s National Team defender DaMarcus Beasley, who signed with the club on Wednesday.
MLS WARN RSL, FINE WHITECAPS FOR ALTERCATION
Major League Soccer’s Disciplinary Committee announced on Friday that both Real Salt Lake and the Vancouver Whitecaps had violated the league’s mass confrontation policy, resulting in actions against both teams.
The league has fined both the Whitecaps and coach Carl Robinson an undisclosed sum for it being their second offense, while the league issued an official warning to RSL.
In the 73rd minute of RSL’s 1-1 draw with the Whitecaps last Saturday, both teams came together in the center of the field following a penalty kick goal for the Whitecaps, with pushing and shoving apparent. Here’s a video of the incident.
BERHALTER REMAINS QUIET ON POTENTIAL SIGNINGS
With the signing of DaMarcus Beasley, the Columbus Crew now sit at the top of the MLS Allocation order, giving the club a strong possibility of signing an American player returning from abroad or negotiating a trade with another club to swap positions.
The Crew are in desperate need of reinforcements, with a rookie as their starting forward and injuries through midfield and the back line. However, Crew head coach Gregg Berhalter wouldn’t reveal anything when asked about any potential targets at Thursday’s practice.
“It’s every other thing that you need to finish a deal that’s still in play,” Berhalter said about why a deal had yet to be completed. “There’s a lot. You can imagine. Think about it, there could be tons of different things.”
While Berhalter kept his cards close to his chest, the first-year Crew head coach did state that he was confident there would be a signing before the end of the transfer window in two weeks.
RSL SIGN SAUCEDO AS HOMEGROWN PLAYER
Real Salt Lake has reached into their pipeline again for another promising prospect.
On Thursday evening, the club inked their eighth homegrown player in club history, signing 17-year-old Sebastian Saucedo to professional terms. Saucedo, a member of the U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team, has trained with RSL’s first team in the past and has played in three MLS reserve matches in the past two seasons.
Saucedo is coming off back-to-back championship appearances with the RSL academy in the U.S. Development Academy playoffs, winning the 2013 edition but falling to the LA Galaxy in this year’s tournament.
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What do you think of this news? Disappointed that Bengtson never panned out in MLS? Think he could succeed in Argentina? What do you think of Garrido moving to the Dynamo? Do you expect Berhalter to sign a player before the end of the transfer window?
Share your thoughts below.