Dutch brewing giant continues to invest in soccer and now has sponsorship agreements with 11 MLS clubs in addition to league-wide deal.
Club Internacional de Fútbol is positioned to become the first global team of Major League Soccer.
“We are proud to welcome Heineken as the founding partner of our growing Inter Miami CF family and look forward to making history together as we kick off our first season in MLS.”
Jurgen Mainka, Chief Business Officer, Inter Miami CF
Miami, Fla. (Monday, August 5, 2019) – Kenneth Russo
The teaser ad went live on last Friday on Inter Miami CF’s Instagram and Facebook accounts, complete with announcers speaking in a distinct Miami accent, asking the question, “What will Inter Miami CF do with their first “draught” pick?”
The promo was filmed last month right here in Miami, and, the theme was a nod to fans of more traditional “American” sports like American football and basketball, where there is always a buzz around what player gets selected with the first draft pick.
“The answer is that this pick might just be the best in the world and it’s used to doing well under the sun, which is so key here in Miami.” The ‘sportscasters’ also predicted that this pick was going to be European.
Who will be quenching our thirst for goals?
Who will play con el sabor this city deserves?
And correct they were.
Today, the club announced that Heineken will be the official beer of Inter Miami CF. The multi-year deal establishes Heineken as the first Founding Partner and Official Beer of Inter Miami CF, granting them signage, intellectual property rights, and retail activations. The brand will work closely with Inter Miami to continuosly elevate the fan experience in South Florida. The deal comes after Inter Miami appointed London-based KIN Partners in February as their exclusive sponsorship sales representation agency. As is the custom, no financial details about the partnership were made public. However deals like this customarily represent a multi-million dollar investment by the sponsor in the club over the term of the agreement.
At the announcement yesterday, at El Tucán in downtown Miami, the official commercial was shown for the first time. The is available on Inter Miami’s official website (www.intermiamicf.com) and on social media channels. It was filmed in July, 2019 at Toe Jam Backlot in Wynwood (Miami) and feature the club’s three official supporters groups, Southern Legion, Vice City 1896 and The Siege Supporters Club.
Present at yesterday’s announcement was Heineken’s Chief Marketing Officer, Jonnie Cahill, who said that Heieneken “could not wait” for Miami to join Major League Soccer. “After much anticipation and excitement around the return of MLS to South Florida, we are thrilled to play a role as Inter Miami CF’s first official partner, and look forward to celebrating many future firsts together,” Cahill said. “We are known worldwide as a devoted soccer brand, and through this partnership, we can’t wait to provide soccer fans across South Florida with the premium experience—and beer—they have come to expect from Heineken for years to come.” He went on to say that Heineken will be with the club every step of the way to make Inter Miami CF the most iconic club in MLS.
Inter Miami CF have established the Founding Partner level of partnership for partners who seek the highest levels of visibility, access to the team and experiences that can be customized to forge an unprecedented connection with Inter Miami CF fans throughout South Florida and beyond.
“Our goal at Inter Miami CF is to provide the best possible experience to our fans. With Heineken we have an excellent partner who not only shares our vision and passion for the sport but also understands the importance of being a community-first organization who engages directly with our core audience.”
“We have an excellent partner who not only shares our vision and passion for the sport but also understands the importance of being a community-first organisation who engages directly with our core audience.”
Jurgen Mainka, Chief Business Officer, Inter Miami CF
“Since 2014, Heineken has been an invaluable supporter of Major League Soccer and our clubs, so it is with great pride that we congratulate Heineken and Inter Miami CF on the announcement of their partnership,” said MLS Deputy Commissioner and President of MLS Business Ventures, Gary Stevenson. “Heineken has a deep history of forging authentic relationships with fans across the league through celebratory moments and numerous club partnerships. We look forward to working with both brands to engage fans in Southern Florida in innovative ways for many years to come.”
The agreement mark’s Heineken’s 14th club sponsorship in MLS, in addition to it’s league-wide partnership which is in the second year of a five-year extension signed in March 2018.
The Heineken’s Brouwery, Amsterdam, NetherlandsThe Inter Miami supporters groups were featured in the creation of the commercial. Photo: HeinekenReLATED
Another Historic Day In The Life of Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami.
Club Confirms Previous Reports Here And Elsewhere.
Miami, Fla. (Friday, July 26, 2019) by Kenneth Russo
Another day. Another first. Two of them, to be precise.
The team that for so long didn’t have a name; didn’t have colours; didn’t have a chance according to some; lacked this and didn’t have that; whose supporters were mocked for supporting a fictitious team. All this has changed over the past year and a half, of course.
And today, the dream is more tangible than ever. For today, the Rosanegra has announced the signing of its first two jugadores.
The club was expected to name its first players over the summer. Exactly when wasn’t known for sure. However, reports out of Argentina in recent days and weeks suggested that transfer deals were in place, and research revealed that the players whose names had been reported on had indeed visited Miami.
This morning, Inter Miami raised expectations that an announcement was forthcoming by posting several tweets on its Instagram account. It seemed to be a prelude to something big:
And big it was. “Matías Pellegrini. El Primero.” That was the caption on the first video announcement that was sent out on social media at 3:57 p.m. EDT. a video that was described with words such as “clean,” “more like a raggaeton singer intro,” “dope merch,” “dope marketing,” and “dripping in swag.” In other words, a very Miami-like production, right down to the essential Miami trait of mixing Spanish and English in the course of a single statement.. Shortly thereafter, the second announcement was pushed out, at 4:20 p.m.: “Seguimos. #LaFamilia is about to grow stronger.” | 4:30 p.m.: “Julián Carranza. Welcome to #LaFamilia.”
Matías Pellegrini
Pellegrini, 19, is a native of Magdalena, Argentina. His primary positions are as a left winger and centre forward. He was promoted to the first team in August 2018, having been part of the reserve squad of Estudiantes’ de La Plata (U20) prior to that. His first goal as a professional cane against Boca Juniors. He has made 15 appearances for Estudiantes this season, with three goals and one assist. He has logged 1,053 minutes across all competitions (903’ in Primera División and 150’ in the Copa Libertadores). Pellegrini joined the Estudiantes Academy at the age of 11.
Mati joins Inter Miami CF from Estudiantes via transfer and will be classified as a Young Designated Player. He will remain on loan with Estudiantes through January 2020. The value of the transfer is listed on Transfermarkt as being $9.23 million USD. (8.1 million EUR).
Carranza, from Oncativo, Argentina, also 19, is in his second season as a professional. He joined the senior squad of Club Atlético Banfield in 2017. Since then, he has made 29 career appearances for them, scoring 8 goals. He has logged 1,871 minutes across all competitions. Carranza featured in two matches for the Argentina U17 team at the 2017 South American Championship in Chile, and has also trained with the U20 team.
Prior to playing as a professional with El Taladro, Carranza came through Banfield’s academy system, having moved to Buenos Aires at the age of 13 to join their academy.
Like Pellegrini, Carranza will remain on loan with Banfield for the fall Superliga season, and will join his future teammates for training camp at the end of January, 2020, in advance of the inaugural season in MLS which begins next March. His transfer is listed on Transfermarktas being for $6.16 million USD (5.5 million EUR).
And it’s only the beginning. The secondary transfer window in MLS is open until August 7th (the last date for inbound transfers) so there is reason to believe fans of Inter Miami can expect more names to be announced. To stay on top of news from Inter Miami, look on this site or on the club’s official website at http://www.InterMiamiCF.com.
Pellegrini passes medical tests; Estudiantes releases statement on deal with Inter Miami CF.
Miami, Fla. (Tuesday, July 23, 2019) – Kenneth Russo
Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami finally has a player: Matías Pellegrini.
Per a communication by Estudiantes de La Plata, the Argentine club and Inter Miami CF have completed a deal to transfer 19-year old Argentine midfielder Matias Pellegrini.
Additionally, Argentine publication El Dia de La Plata reported Tuesday that Matias Pellegrini returned from the United States and was in training with Estudiantes today, in advance of the club’s opening game in the 2019 Argentine Superliga this weekend versus Aldosivi de Mar del Plata.
The same report states that in addition to Pellegrini successfully completing his medical exam, Estudiantes was able to complete the deal with Inter Miami, worth about $9 million, and potentially up to $11 million depending on his future performance.
Estudiantes de La Plata released the following official communication that confirms what has been reported: (English Translation Below)
El Club Estudiantes de La Plata hace saber que el jugador Matías Pellegrini pasó con éxito la revisación médica en el Inter Miami CF y ya regresó al país, donde se puso a las órdenes del cuerpo técnico de Gabriel Milito de cara al inicio de la Superliga.
El futbolista viajó a Estados Unidos junto a Diego Ronderos, integrante de la Secretaría de Fútbol Profesional. El joven surgido de las divisiones inferiores superó los chequeos y ahora se ultiman detalles para su transferencia definitiva a la institución de la Major League Soccer.
Pellegrini, quien este martes entrenó a la par de sus compañeros en el Country Club de City Bell, comenzará a trabajar en su nuevo club en enero de 2020.
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CLUB ABOUT PELLEGRINI
Estudiantes de La Plata has learned that its player, Matías Pellegrini, successfully passed the medical check-up at Inter Miami CF and has already returned to the country, where he was placed under the command of Gabriel Milito’s coaching staff for the start of the Super League.
The player traveled to the United States with Diego Ronderos, Secretary of Professional Football. The young man, who emerged from the lower divisions, passed his tests and now the details are finalized for his definitive transfer to the Major League Soccer institution.
Pellegrini, who on Tuesday trained with his teammates at the City Bell Country Club, will begin working at his new club in January 2020.
Pellegrini started at left midfield last Saturday in Estudiantes’ 2-0 win over Club Mitre, scoring a goal that turned out to be the game-winner. Here is a video of that game:
Inter Miami officials confirmed in response to media enquiries that Pellegrini was in Miami on Monday to meet with team executives, but said they were not ready to make a formal announcement yet. These developments came while David Beckham was in Miami for a family vacation, and it is likely he was involved in meeting with the young Argentine winger.
Miami, Fla. (Monday, July 22, 2019 – by Kenneth Russo
After playing 70 minutes and scoring a goal for Estudiantes de La Plata this past Saturday in their 2-0 win over Club Mitre in the Copa Argentina (Twitter @copaargentina), Matías Pellegrini and his representative Gustavo Ghezzi flew to Miami yesterday, according to El Día in Argentina.
Today, he will have a medical exam and meet with Jorge Más and Inter Miami team officials to finalize his contract. The self-described “lightning trip” is because “Mati” intends to be able to play for Estudiantes’ this coming Sunday in the first game of the 2019 Argentina Superliga (La Primera División) versus Aldosivi. “No me voy a perder ningún partido.” – “I’m not going to miss a single game,” the young midfielder assured the media. Pellegrini’s transfer is reportedly in the $9 to $10 million range, with performance incentives structured into the deal.
Once officially an Inter player, the plan is for him to remain with Estudiantes on loan until the end of the year, which means he can complete the revised Argentine Superliga calendar prior to joining Club Internacional de Fútbol for training camp in early 2020.
According to various Argentine media outlets, Inter Miami is simultaneously working on a $6 million deal for 19-year-old Club Atlético Banfield forward Julián Carranza, who would also stay with his club through the end of the year and report to Inter Miami sometime between January and March 2020. Carranza has reportedly already been to Miami and taken his medical exam, which was described as “demanding.”
Pellegrini played 70 minutes and scored the winning goal in a 2-0 win over Club Mitre Saturday. Photos: Estudiantes de La Plata
When asked about the status of negotiations for Inter’s first players, Sporting Director Paul McDonough told The Miami Herald’s Michelle Kaufman:
“We are in contract negotiations with up to six or seven players, heavily involved in that right now, with all levels of guys. We will have announcements coming soon.”
Inter Miami Sporting Director Paul McDonough
Paul McDonough, Sporting Director
McDonough, who is in charge of building the roster and leading the team’s on-field soccer operations, also told Kaufman that the negotiations are complicated because some players require to be moved to another club on loan in order to continue to play during the next six months. With that come the finances that have to be also ironed out. Most often, players who are loaned out have their wages paid by the team that they are loaned to. However, in the end it’s about what the parties agree to. More importantly, Inter Miami must also work within the confines of MLS’ salary budget universe, where each player is assigned a “Salary Budget Charge,” the maximum being $530,000. There is also a limit of up to three “Designated Players,” whose total salary and acquisition costs exceed the maximum salary budget charge. Assembling the type of team that will electrify fans and get attention in Miami will require skillful handling of these considerations.
“We are in contract negotiations with up to six or seven players, heavily involved in that right now, with all levels of guys,” McDonough said. “We will have announcements coming soon. We’re close. We’d like to have between four and eight signed by September.”
Miami is in contract negotiations with six or seven players, and the first couple could be signed by July 31, according to McDonough.
McDonough is a proven expert at working out these nuances though, and it won’t be long before fans of the Rosanegra have real players to follow.
#EDLP ⚽ #MercadoDePases | Matías Pellegrini viajó a EE.UU para someterse a la revisión médica con el #Inter de Miami. Estudiantes vende su pase y el jugador seguirá vistiendo la albirroja en lo que resta del 2019. Entre el martes y el miércoles próximo regresará a nuestro país. pic.twitter.com/fIvsvRIRxS
Transfers, Transactions, and Reports for the second day of the MLS Secondary Transfer Window:
Toronto Football Club
Toronto FC has been active in preparing for MLS’ Secondary Transfer Window by announcing the signing of Zamora F.C. (Venezuela Primera División) winger Erickson Gallardo, via the use of Targeted Allocation Money. Gallardo, 22, will be eligible to play this weekend as the Reds take on the Impact de Montréal at Stade Saputo, a/k/a “Le Classique Canadien” for those in Québec, subject to receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (“ITC”).
After making his debut in 2014, Gallardo has made 116 combined appearances for Zamora F.C. In the past three seasons, he made a total of 91 appearances (64 starts) and recorded 10 goals and 19 assists. Gallardo was part of Zamora’s last three league championships in 2015, 2016 and 2018. In the second leg of the 2018 Apertura Final, he scored the winning goal.
“Erickson is a talented attacking player that will improve our team. He has good character and is excited to earn the respect of his teammates, meet our great fans, and he and his wife are looking forward to settling into the City of Toronto,” TFC General Manager Ali Curtis said. “He has speed, can shift directions quickly and can open up the game for himself and others. Mid-season can sometimes be challenging to step into a new team, particularly for young, international players. With that said, we’re excited to get him going because we believe he can make an impact now, and in the future.”
He won his only senior cap with the Venezuela National Team in a June friendly draw against Ecuador.
Back on June 3, TFC made another key move by also acquiring U.S. International defender Omar Gonzalez on a transfer from Atlas Fútbol Club (Guadalajara) of Liga MX.
Toronto used its first-placeposition in the allocation ranking to sign Gonzalez using TAM (Targeted Allocation Money), subject to Gonzalez passing a medical exam, as well as the receipt of his ITC. He will then be eligible for the roster on July 9 when the transfer window re-opens.
Gonzalez, 30, was in his first season with Atlas, having made 36 appearances with two goals since joining the squad in July 2018.
“Adding Omar will improve our team. He is a great competitor that will approach every training session and match with a high level of intensity. He’ll also be able to add a greater presence in the air for us, both offensively and defensively. And, while he has won numerous trophies during his career on the club and international level, he is hungry to be part of championship team in Toronto,” said Toronto FC General Manager Ali Curtis. “We were looking for a very specific profile of player. Omar’s a good guy. He will fit in well with the group, and he will be a welcome addition to the locker room and daily environment.”
"I’ve only heard amazing things about Toronto and I’m really happy to be here and excited to get started”
Listen to the Reds’ newest defender speak to the media on his first day.
Gonzalez began his professional career after being selected third overall by LA Galaxy in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft. In seven seasons with the Galaxy, Gonzalez made 223 combined appearances (MLS, MLS Cup Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, Concacaf Champions League) with 17 goals and 13 assists. With the Galaxy, he won three MLS Cups (2011, 2012, 2014), two MLS Supporters’ Shields (2010, 2011), was named to the MLS Best XI four times (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014) along with MLS Defender of the Year (2011) and MLS Rookie of the Year (2009).
In December 2015, Gonzalez was sold and signed with C.F. Pachuca (Pachuca) of Liga MX. While with Pachuca, he made 87 combined appearances with three goals and four assists. Gonzalez won three trophies with Pachuca including, the Clausura Liga MX championship (2016), 2016 Liga MX championship and the 2016-17 Concacaf Champions League.
Gonzalez has earned 49 caps for the U.S. Men’s National team. He was part of the U.S. 2013 and 2017 Concacaf Gold Cup winning sides; and the roster for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. His most recent cap came on March 27, 2019 in a 1-1 friendly match against Chile. Gonzalez was recently on the U.S. squad for the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup.
“Greg gave me a clear picture of what the team is like, where he sees the team going and where I can fit into that picture. He sold me on coming here,” said Gonzalez. “Wherever you want me to play, I’ll do it. I’ll play my role; team comes first. On the left, on the right, it doesn’t matter. I’ve got to step up; do what I’ve got to do to help the team get wins.”
The addition of Gallardo, as well as defender Omar Gonzalez (who signed with TFC on June 3), gives Manager Greg Vanney the type of players that were much-needed – a pure winger and a big defender.
New England Revolution
Longtime dormant in the transfer marketplace, the decision to hire Bruce Arena as the sporting director and head coach in May came with it a pledge that he would have the latitude to invest in the roster. A veteran coach of Arena’s caliber would certainly not be interested in taking the job and continuing the club’s low-budget, penny-pinching (aka cheap) mentality.
That pledge turned into reality Wednesday, as the Revs announced the signing of Gustavo Bou as a Designated Player from Club Tijuana of Liga MX. It is reported that New England has paid a club-record transfer fee ($6-7 million USD) to acquire the Argentine striker.
The forward, who is nicknamed ‘La Pantera’, was the most expensive signing in the ten-year history of the Xolos. His professional career spans 12 seasons in the first divisions of Argentina, Ecuador and Mexico. He has scored 85 goals with River Plate, Olimpo de Bahía Blanca, Liga de Quito, Gimnasia de La Plata, Racing Club y Xolos de Tijuana.
“He’s an experienced player,” said Arena. “He’s going to help generate attacking chances for us – whether that’s scoring goals or setting goals up or moving in the right spots to help others. He’s a player with a lot of experience, a lot of quality, and a real good track record.”
Bou, 29 years old, brings knowledge and vast on-field experience to the Revolution squad. His reputation is that of a creative player who has demonstrated an ability to play across the attacking front four, but who is most comfortable on the left wing. “In a pinch he can play the number nine position – which he’s really not natural – and he can play the 10, he can play the seven, the 11,” said Arena. “He can play a bunch of spots. Positions close to goal is where he needs to play.”
Bou has been in form recently, with seven goals and two assists in his final six games with Tijuana, and has scored at least once in all six of those contests. He ranked in the top five league-wide in both goals (10) and assists (five) in Liga MX’s 2019 Torneo Clausura.
Bou will be available for the Revolution pending completion of his medical exam, and receipt of a P-1 Visa and his ITC.
Atlanta United made their sixth Homegrown Signing in club history on Tuesday, announcing that 18-year-old defender George Campbell has been signed to a homegrown contract, effective January 1, 2020. Born in Chester, PA, Campbell joined the Atlanta United academy in 2016-17.
“George has shown remarkable progress at each step in his development and he’s earned a professional contract with our club,” Atlanta United Vice President and Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra said. “As a member of our inaugural Academy teams in 2016, he’s worked hard to utilize the club’s pathway to the professional level, highlighted by his form in USL this season – most of which came before his 18th birthday.”
He’s spent a majority of the 2019 season with USL affiliate Atlanta United II, where he has 11 appearances. Campbell was named Man of the Match on his professional debut back in March, and has been one of the team’s top performers defensively.
Rumoured Transfers:
Sporting Kansas City
Report: Sporting KC linked with Portuguese wing back Luis Martins
Sporting KC is hoping to make a few moves during the secondary transfer window and reportedly has been linked in serious discussions with one player so far.
According to the Kansas City Star, SKC is interested in Portuguese left back Luis Martins..
Martins was most recently with Portuguese side Chaves, where he joined in 2018. Chaves struggled in Liga NOS (Primeira Liga), Portugal’s top division, finishing in 16th place on 32 points and were relegated to the second division. Martins played in 15 of Chaves’ 34 league games, scoring one goal and playing another six games in Taça do Portugal competitions for Chaves this year. With their relegation this year, Martins and Chaves mutually agreed to terminate his contract with the club, effective June 30, 2019, which makes Martins available for Kansas City to sign on a free transfer.
Martin has also spent time with Benfica and Gil Vicente in Portugal and Spanish side Granada CF while appearing for Osasuna and Maritimo on-loans.
His arrival to SKC would give Peter Vermes another option in defense as the team is without several players due to injury. The club is recently coming off a 1-0 win over the Chicago Fire on Saturday.
In order to sign Martins, Sporting Kansas City would need to acquire an international roster spot, which they can do via a trade with another MLS club.
Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami
It was previously reported here that Inter Miami CF have been linked with two Argentine players, Julián Carranza and Matías Pellegrini, and that deals to transfer these two players have been reached. While there is no word from Inter yet, based on what has been said about the timing of the first player announcement, we should hear something during this secondary transfer window.
Any players who are transferring to Miami during this window would likely be loaned out until the end of the year. (If the reports about Carranza and Pellegrini are correct, those players could be loaned back to their clubs in Argentina or elsewhere for the fall. As an aside, the Superliga Argentina will have a new format for 2019-20 , with 24 teams playing a 23-week season starting in July 2019 and ending in December. The second half of the year, January to May, will be set aside for the Copa de la Superliga.
“We’ll definitely have players signed by the summer,” Sporting Director Paul McDonough said, without getting into further details or a more specific timeline for their first player. “I want to make it a surprise.”
Outbound Transfer
Los Angeles Football Club
Defender Niko Hämäläinen returns to Queens Park Rangers
Finnish-American fullback Niko Hämäläinen has left Los Angeles Football Club due to the conclusion of his loan with the MLS club.
Hämäläinen was loaned by the London-based English Championship (2nd Division) club in February 2019 on a six month term. His loan was not extended by LAFC. During his time in the City of the Angels, the 22-year-old made three appearances, including one start.
“We would like to thank Niko for his contributions to our Club during the first half of the season, and wish him great success moving forward,” said EVP & General Manager John Thorrington.
A former member of the FC Dallas academy, Hämäläinen joined Queens Park back in 2014 but has only made three league appearances for the club to date. QPR had also previously loaned Hämäläinen to Dagenham & Redbridge on a short-term loan in 2015..
The following transactions were negotiated in advance of the opening of the 2019 Major League Soccer’s Secondary Transfer Window (July 9- August 7, 2019):
Columbus Crew SC
Acquired Costa Rican winger Luis Diaz from Herediano as a Young Designated Player. According to Jacob Myers of the Columbus Dispatch, the Crew paid a transfer fee of $1 million.
Signed 30-year old Curaçao National Team goalkeeper Eloy Room. The Black & Gold officially announced the move last Friday and Room will be officially added to the roster once the summer transfer window opens today (July 9.)
“We are excited to have a player as experienced and proven as Eloy join Columbus Crew SC,” Crew president Tim Bezbatchenko said. “Eloy is a talented goalkeeper whose leadership and shot-stopping ability will help strengthen our Club. We believe Eloy’s background competing at the European and international level will allow him to contribute to Crew SC immediately.”
Room most recently played for PSV Eindhoven from 2017-19 but was out of contract. He was a part of the 2017-18 Eredivisie championship side that qualified for the UEFA Champions League. Prior to joining PSV, Room played for SBV Vitesse of the Eredivisie from 2008-17 and spent the 2013-14 season on loan with the Go Ahead Eagles in Holland. Room made 169 appearances, 159 starts in the Dutch First Division.
He started 20 games in the KNVB Cup and played twice in the UEFA Europa League Qualifiers. The goalkeeper was an important member of the KNVB Cup winners in the 2016-17 season with Vitesse. During the run to the title, Room played in every match, helping Vitesse win its first KNVB Cup in 125 years.
Room’s should be a familiar name to those who followed the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Room started all four matches of the tournament for Curaçao, including the 1-0 loss to the United States in the quarterfinals. The goalkeeper made 26 saves in a surprising four-game run. Overall, Room has earned 30 caps for the Curaçao National Team, including nine clean sheets. He also featured internationally for the Netherlands at the Under-20 level.
Room’s addition to the Crew roster will be part of the plan to bolster the goalkeeper position after U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeeper Zack Steffen was sold to Manchester City of the English Premier League in the offseason for a record fee. Steffen won the 2018 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award. Steffen made his final appearance for Columbus in 2-2 draw with New York City FC on June 1.
Reached a deal to make Iraqi left-back Ali Adnan‘s loan a permanent move from Serie A Club Udinese.
The multi-million dollar transaction sets a new record for the fullback position. Although the exact figure is unknown, it is thought that the the transfer fee is somewhere in the vicinity of $2-2.5 Million USD. The new contract runs through the end of the 2021 season, with an option for 2022. Adnan will now occupy a Designated Player slot for Vancouver. He was unable to feature for the club last weekend due to a gap in his initial loan expiring on June 30th and the transfer window opening today, at which point he is now once again eligible.
Part of what made the Ali Adnan move possible was the “buying down” of Joaquin Ardaiz’s Young Designated Player contract,which freed up a Designated Player Spot that the Whitecaps could then use on Adnan.
“Ali has been a great addition to our club since arriving in March” said Marc Dos Santos “He understands our defensive principles and has an incredible ability to join the attack, create in the last third, which is very important for teams that want to have an impact offensively using their fullbacks.”
FC Cincinnati
Acquired centre-back Maikel van der Werff.
Van der Werfff was acquired using Targeted Allocation Money (“TAM”). He will be added to the active roster pending the receipt of his P1-Visa and International Transfer Certificate (“ITC”) when the Secondary Transfer Window opens today (July 9th).
Van der Werff, 30, spent the last seven seasons in the Netherlands’ Eredivisie with Vitesse (2015-19) and PEC Zwolle (2013-15). In the recently concluded 2018-19 season, van der Werff made 30 appearances for Vitesse across all competitions, where he scored four goals and added four assists. He has captured two Dutch Cups, one Johan Cruyff Shield and most recently wore the captain’s armband for Vitesse for parts of the 2018-19 season. A native of Hoorn, Netherlands, van der Werff will occupy an international roster spot on FC Cincinnati’s roster.
“We are pleased to be able to add a quality player and we’d like to welcome Maikel to FC Cincinnati,” FC Cincinnati General Manager Gerard Nijkamp said. “He brings a high level of experience and leadership to our backline and will be an excellent addition as we solidify our style of play. We look forward to integrating Maikel with our current group and eagerly anticipate his future as an FC Cincinnati player.”
“I’m very happy and proud with this move to FC Cincinnati,” van der Werff said. “I was able to visit for the match against the LA Galaxy and the atmosphere was great. I’m looking forward to playing and being part of this team.”
Van der Werff has a combined 247 first-team appearances, including 207 starts, during the course of his 11 professional seasons in the Netherlands. He has scored 23 goals and added 19 assists across all competitions with Vitesse, PEC Zwolle and Dutch second-tier side FC Volendam (2008-13).
FC Dallas
Acquired Ghanian winger Edwin Gyasi.
Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia agreed to loan winger Edwin Gyasi to FC Dallas with an option to buy for the MLS side. Born in Amsterdam, Netherlands to Ghanaian parents, the Ghanaian midfielder has 5 caps for the Ghana National Team. He made his senior debut for the Black Stars on Sept. 5, 2017, and scored his first international goal in a World Cup Qualifier versus Egypt on Nov. 12, 2017.
Edwin Gyasi
Gyasi, 27, has played for De Graafschap, FC Twente, Roda JC, and Aalesund as well as other clubs during his career prior to joining CSKA Sofia. Gyasi played more than 50 games for Sofia, scoring 6 goals and adding 10 assists.
FC Dallas used Targeted Allocation Money (“TAM”) to complete the loan deal. He will be eligible to add to Dallas’ roster pending receipt of his ITC and P-1 Visa.
Signed former US youth national team star Emerson Hyndman.
Atlanta signed former US youth national team star Emerson Hyndman on a loan from AFC Bournemouth of the English Premier League. Atlanta has the option to purchase at the end of this season.
Hyndman was part of the FC Dallas Youth Academy. Atlanta acquired Hyndman’s Discovery Rights from Dallas in exchange for an international roster slot in 2019 and 2020 and $200,000 in General Allocation Money.
The 23-year-old began his professional career with Fulham Football Club in 2014 and played two seasons in London with the English Championship side before moving up to the Premier League with Bournemouth in 2016. However, his career with the Cherries never materialized and he played in just eight games for the club.
Hyndman was loaned by Bournemouth to Glasgow Rangers in 2016-17 and Hibernian in 2018-19, playing a total of 36 games in Scotland, with five goals and four assists.
Hyndman has two appearances for the U.S. men’s national team.
“We’re excited to bring a talented young player like Emerson in to bolster our midfield,” club vice president and technical director Carlos Bocanegra said in a prepared statement. “In addition to his technical, on-the-ball abilities, he performed well in two physically demanding leagues in the Scottish Premiership and English Championship.”
Atlanta manager Frank de Boer has said any player he signs is expected to be able to contribute right away. Thus, expect Hyndman to join the rotation with Julian Gressel, Darlington Nagbe, Eric Remedi and Jeff Larentowicz as a box-to-box player. He is eligible to appear for the Five Stripes beginning today when the Major League Soccer secondary transfer window opens.
San Jose Earthquakes
Added Mexican winger Carlos Fierro.
San Jose has signed Mexican winger Carlos Fierro for an undisclosed transfer fee, using Targeted Allocation Money. Fierro can be added to San Jose’s roster once he receives his P-1 Visa and ITC.
Fierro has previously played for Earthquakes head coach Matias Almeyda. The midfielder made 64 appearances for Almeyda from 2015-18 and 11 under Quakes assistant coach Benjamin Galindo (2013) while competing for Chivas de Guadalajara.
“I know Carlos from my time at Chivas,” said Almeyda. “I know him as a person and as a professional. I know he can help us a lot with his style of play. He’s a player that I can use in various positions. I thank the club and the effort they made to be able to buy him. Hopefully he does a great job, which is what everyone hopes for.”
Carlos Fierro
Fierro, 24, has been a part of several trophy-winning teams in his native Mexico, helping his former clubs claim a trio of Copa MX titles (2015, 2016, 2017) and one Liga MX championship (2017).
In addition to club success, Fierro has made significant contributions to Mexico’s youth level national teams, having been a selection at the U-17, U-20 and U-23 levels, scoring four goals in 14 total appearances. He was a key player for Mexico at the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup, where Mexico finished with a perfect 7-0-0 record and became the first host nation to win that championship. Fierro scored twice in the Group Stage, the game-winning goal in the Round of 16, and the game-winning goal in the Quarterfinals to earn the Bronze Ball as the tournament’s third most outstanding player. He later helped Mexico win the 2013 Concacaf U-20 Championship with a perfect 6-0-0 record, including a 3-1 victory over the United States in the Final.
Fierro most recently played for Monarcas Morelia of Mexico’s Liga MX on loan from Cruz Azul. During his one year with Morelia, the midfielder scored one goal and contributed four assists in 32 appearances across Liga MX and Copa MX competitions.
A native of Guadalajara, Fierro originally joined the Chivas youth academy in 2008, later making his first team debut in August of 2011 at the age of 17. During his first professional season, Apertura 2011, he was the club’s most often used substitute. Fierro made 135 appearances for Chivas between 2011-15, tallying 11 goals and 13 assists and helping the club win the Apertura 2015 Copa MX Final, two months after Almeyda’s arrival.
The Major League Soccer secondary transfer window opens today, Tuesday, July 9 and runs through August 7, 2019. Clubs are now permitted to register new signings.
Pursuant to FIFA regulations, in order to complete a signing, loan or transfer, an MLS club must request an International Transfer Certificate (“ITC”) from the national association where the player was last registered. For example, a player being transferred from Real Betis to an MLS side would need an ITC issued by the Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF). This is known as the International Clearance Process. (See more at kennethrusso.com/fifa-regulations-on-the-transfer-of-players/)
A team may have negotiated and completed a deal prior to the transfer window; receipt of a player’s ITC is required in order to add a player to the official roster and for that player to be eligible to play in competitive matches.
A number of deals have already been completed leading up to the window. Deals completed
Intra-League Trades Also Open
Coinciding with the opening of the transfer window, the trade window within MLS for players once again is open, and runs until August 8th.
As a reminder, trades for non-player assets, including international roster slots, allocation money, allocation order slots and MLS SuperDraft picks, can take place any time and are not restricted by the transfer window periods.
Roster Freeze On The Horizon.
The 2019 Roster Freeze Date is August 30, 2019, at which time clubs must submit their final 30-man roster. Rosters cannot be changed from that date through the day after MLS Cup.
