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MLS Ticker: Orlando City rejects Besiktas bid for Larin, Revs sign centerback, and more

Even after acquiring striker Dom Dwyer in a trade with Sporting Kansas City, Orlando City has turned down an offer for Cyle Larin.

According to Goal, Orlando City has rejected an offer from Turkish outfit Besiktas for the Canadian striker. Besiktas has won back-to-back Turkish league titles but were “nowhere close” in their valuation of the 22-year-old striker, according to the report.

Larin is coming off a recent DUI arrest which has threatened to put a damper on his market value. The Canadian has scored eight league goals this season in 18 appearances, and has 39 for his MLS career so far.

Here’s a closer look at more of Friday’s MLS news:

REVS SIGN FRENCH CENTER BACK CLAUDE DIELNA

The New England Revolution reinforced their backline with the signing of French center back Claude Dielna on Friday.

Dielna, 29, most recently played for Sheffield Wednesday in England’s second-tier, the EFL Championship. The Frenchman has also spent time on loan with FC Dinamo Bucuresti of Romania’s Liga 1 in 2017 and a partial season with Slovan Bratislava of Slovakia’s top-tier Fortuna Liga in 2016. During the 2016-17 season, Dielna made 12 total appearances, all being starts, and recorded 1,110 minutes of action with Dinamo Bucuresti.

The 29-year-old will be added to the roster via either a Designated Player slot or Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 Visa.

“I’m very happy to sign for this club. I’m very excited to start the competition,” said Dielna in a club release. “I watched many games and I spoke with the staff. The club looks to be a family and that’s what I need. I will try to bring my international experience and my quality to help the team.”

The addition of Dielna is expected to reinforce a defensive unit that’s conceded 34 goals in 20 games.

RED BULLS ACQUIRE MUHAMAD KEITA 

The New York Red Bulls acquired Gambian forward Muhamed Keita on Friday.

Keita, 26, was acquired from Polish side Lech Poznan. The forward began his professional career with Stromsgodset in Norway, graduating from the youth system to the senior team in 2007.

Keita made 125 appearances for the club between 2008 and 2014, when he moved to Poznan. Keita then spent time on loan with Stabaek in 2015, where he was coached by former U.S. Men’s National Team coach Bob Bradley. Red Bulls sporting director Denis Hamlett spent four years as an assistant on Bob Bradley’s coaching staff with the Chicago Fire.

“We are excited to welcome Muhamed to our club,” said Red Bulls Sporting Director Denis Hamlett. “He is an experienced player that has the ability to play as a forward, or on either wing. We think that his skill set can transfer well to MLS and fit our style of play.”

In all, Keita has totaled 212 professional appearances, with 36 goals and 20 assists.

RED BULLS ADD FIDEL ESCOBAR ON LOAN

The Red Bulls also added Panamanian defender Fidel Escobar from Sporting San Miguelito, pending receipt of his ITC on Friday.

Escobar, 22, joins the Red Bulls on an 18-month loan which runs through the 2018 MLS season.  Escobar began his professional career at San Francisco FC before moving to Sporting San Miguelito, also in Panama City. Fellow Red Bull Michael Amir Murillo is currently on loan from San Francisco FC. Murillo and Escobar have been teammates at both the youth and senior levels for Panama.

Escobar most recently spent the 2016-17 season on loan to Sporting B, the reserve side for Sporting CP in Portugal. While on loan to Sporting B, Escobar made 14 appearances, including 12 starts, and scored one goal in the Ledman Liga Pro season.

“We are pleased to add Fidel to our roster,” said Hamlett. “We’ve had our eye on him for a while, and had the opportunity to watch him play in the Gold Cup. He is a young player that has a lot of qualities we like in a center back.”

 

Comments

    • Hard to say without a number. MLS does have a history of overvaluing their players, so what do they consider as “nowhere close”?

      Reply

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