
The Chicago Fire went into the offseason with a laundry list of needs, and just days after adding a promising striker, the Fire have now added a talented midfielder with a championship pedigree and MLS experience.
The Fire have secured the services of Juninho on loan from Club Tijuana, announcing the deal on Friday after trading up in the MLS Allocation Order to secure his MLS rights. The Fire made a deal with Minnesota United to move up to the second spot in the allocation order, sending general allocation money and the 25th overall pick in the 2017 MLS Draft to Minnesota.
Juninho joins the Fire after spending the past year with Club Tijuana. He joined the Xolos after a $1.5 million transfer from the LA Galaxy following the 2015 season.
The Fire landed Juninho in the same week it also acquired Hungarian striker Nemanja Nikolic.
Atlanta United adds Greg Garza on loan
The Atlanta United offseason continues to impress, with the expansion team’s latest move adding a player with U.S. national team aspirations and quality at one of the weakest positions in MLS.
Atlanta announced the acquisition of Greg Garza on loan from Club Tijuana. The Texas-born left back joins on loan just a week after revealing his desire to make a move to MLS for the first time in his career.
To clear the way for Garza’s arrival, Atlanta United completed a trade with the Columbus Crew, sending a conditional second-round pick in the 2018 MLS Draft to the Crew for Garza’s MLS discovery rights.
The Garza acquisition adds another promising piece to the Atlanta defense, which already includes MLS veterans Michael Parkhurst and Zach Loyd, and is expected to add Brad Guzan when the European transfer window opens in January.
Sounders land Will Bruin
The Houston Dynamo and Seattle Sounders have been active during the offseason, so it was only fitting that they got involved in a trade.
Dynamo forward Will Bruin was traded to the Sounders in exchange for general and targeted allocation money.
Bruin, 27, had spent the entirety of his MLS career with Houston. He recorded 50 goals and 20 assists in 178 appearances during the regular season. The striker added six goals in 13 playoff games.
Much like his former team, Bruin is coming off a disappointing 2016. He had just four goals in 18 games for the last-placed Dynamo.
Dynamo sign Honduran forward Romell Quioto
The Dynamo lost Bruin, but they immediately replaced him on Friday afternoon.
Houston announced the signing of Honduran forward Romell Quioto from Olimpia on a full transfer.
Quioto, 25, can play out wide or as a No. 9 if necessary. He has four goals in 27 caps for Honduras and will join his international teammates Alberth Elis and Oscar Boniek Garcia.
During his last three seasons with Olimpia in Honduras, Quioto scored 33 goals in 78 league appearances.
Crew sign Finnish defender Jukka Raitala
Following the news that Gaston Sauro will miss the entire 2017 season, the Columbus Crew quickly went to work to sign a replacement.
The Crew announced the signing of 28-year-old Finnish defender Jukka Raitala on Friday.
Given the injury to Sauro and Michael Parkhurst’s departure to Atlanta United, the Crew needed to acquire a defender with experience. They have done that with Raitala, who can play anywhere across the backline.
Raitala has 10 years of European experience with clubs like Hoffenheim and Heerenveen. He most recently played for Sogndal in the Norwegian Tippeligaen.
Atlanta has been putting together an impressive roster with a nice mix of veterans and youth….
Almiron, Bloom, Carleton, Vazquez, Garza, Jones, Parkhurst, Loyd…potentially Guzan.
This team could be fun to watch when/if they get their chemistry worked out.