STADIUMS: New England Revolution Pursuing Soccer Stadium Plan

Rating: 4 (Good)

Color us shocked. Twice in a month. First we heard that miserly Robert Kraft's New England was looking to spend money on a Designated Player.

Now we have this story which states they are looking into building a home for the New England Revolution.

TRADE: Kevin Harmse to Toronto FC

Rating: 5 (Very good)

Multiple sources are reporting that the LA Galaxy have traded Kevin Harmse to Toronto FC. Harmse a Canadian International has been rumored to have been a target of the Toronto club for some time.

VIDEO: Philadelphia's New Owners

It's official: Philadelphia has joined MLS and presumably no opposing fan anywhere in the league, is safe as MLS now has its own version of Milwall supporters. We mean that in the nicest kind of way.

Anyway...

We came across this courtesy of our friends at Center Holds It. It is a video of the meeting between the new owners of the Philadelphia club and the supporters group, Sons of Ben at their pub The Darkhorse Tavern in Olde City, Philadelphia, PA.

The video provides some extra information not discussed at the official press conference.

REPORT: David Blumer to DC United on Trial

According to this report on Swiss side, Grasshopper's web site, the 22 year old Swiss striker, David Blumer is headed to join DC United for a trial. This news comes just a day after DC United confirmed they have 21 year old Brazilian striker, Cezsar in camp on trial. If signed David Blummer would come to the club on loan.

INCOMING: Andriy Shevchenko to MLS This Summer?

Rating: 3 (Possible)

Yet more fuel to the rumors we posted about Sheva coming to MLS.

Ukrainiansoccer.net speculates:

" Increasingly, it looks as if Shevchenko's future lies with the US Major League Soccer."

One question would be, where COULD he go (assuming MLS salary cap rules are adhered to)?

Red Bull New York is out as they have their maximum of two Designated Players (Juan Pablo Angel and Claudio Reyna)


Los Angeles Galaxy is out because they already are at their salary cap maximum and any bending the rules to allow Shevchenko to come to a team that includes what many call 3 Designated Players (Carlos Ruiz, Landon Donovan and David Beckham) would be seen as "a bridge too far."

Who does that leave?

Houston could sign him but somehow we doubt the city would appeal to Sheva . Not to mention they may have signed their own Designated Player striker by then.

Chicago could acquirer a 2nd Designated Player slot, though from who at this point is a big question. New England isn't going to deal it away since they may be interested in Figo. Toronto won't deal it either since they turned down DC United's offer for Christian Gomez. Kansas City is about to use their on Claudio Lopez. Colorado already dealt theirs to DC for the next 2-3 years. Columbus tried to use theirs for "Magic" Zurawski so obviously they see it as something of value. FC Dallas is using theirs as well.

So that leaves only DC United, a club with an open 2nd Designated Player slot which they just obtained from Colorado, and ownership group willing "use whatever financial tools and support that are necessary" to deliver a continental title, long linked with Shevchenko rumors and in a city where Shevchenko's wife's family live close to with some cap space and well over a million dollars in allocation money.

It should also be noted that when asked on The Soccer Show on Washington DC's WJFK Radio, DC United General Manager, Dave Kasper would not rule out using the 2nd Designated Player slot this summer and said salary cap space is available.

The only question seems to be, when will Chelsea be willing to release Sheva on a free or nearly transfer?

REPORT: Young? Get Drunk? Come See Kansas City's Wizards!

No we do not mean that Kansas City players are drunk (though if you have a rumor about that we would like to hear from you.)

What we mean is a clever marketing campaign thought up by The Wizards front office involving party buses and buzzed college students.

We came across this story from Laurie at the Kansas City section of the Offside who in fact got it from Luis Bueno over at Sideline Views who got it from a press release. (How is that for the proverbial whispering in ears/pass it on rumor thing?)

Rather than reprint it here, we will instead refer you to her excellent work.

We here at MLSR like this idea as we like alcohol. Fact is this site was dreamt up when we had partaken of some fine beverages. We are also green types who fully endorse the use of public transportation, buses, trains, carpooling, whatever allows more people to experience fútbol the way it was intended, through beer goggles of course.

So we endorse this idea, and have no problem with enthusiastic, inebriated people from all the colleges around the KC Metro area creating some fun at games.

We give kudos to Kansas City's front office for being visionary and thinking a little out of the box compared to some other MLS cities (Columbus, Dallas). If there was a most improved category looking back over the last two years, since the sale of the Wizards to On Goal, it would have to be Kansas City fans (The Cauldron supporters group has grown a lot) and their front office (no doubt a reason for the former). I guess they got sick of only of drawing an average 10,000 mostly quiet fans.

Tickets are reasonable too, almost dirt cheap: "Ticket prices for groups of 50+ start at $500 for berm (terrace) seats."

Woah! That comes out to be only $10 per person for a ride (on which you can drink) to the stadium tailgate where you can drink more, and then entrance to an area of the stadium where you can drink more and then returned safely to where you were picked up. What's not to like about that? I can imagine some jealous supporters in other MLS cities thinking, "damn, I wish we had that." Note to Philadelphia: You might want to arrange something similar with U-Penn, Swarthmore and Drexel's campuses.

So word to all travelling fans, "Don't Go Start A Fight, With The Boys In Blue And White." They may just have had a few more pints than you.

EXPANSION: Philadelphia MLS Site Uncovered

Here it is - view it here.

The press conference is set for 2pm Eastern Time today the 28th of February which is the last of the chain of events we published almost 2 weeks ago outlining how and most importantly, when it would all go down.

REPORT: Mexican League Coach (Pumas) In Negotiations With MLS

Rating: 5 (Very good)

This story comes courtesy of ESPN Deportes. Basically it says that Pumas coach/manager, Ricardo Ferretti is in talks with MLS to come to the league possibly as a technical director or sporting director.

REPORT: 21 Year Old Brazilian Forward On Trial with DC United

Rating: 5 (Very good)

Another day, another South American, Brazilian player linked with DC United. This news comes courtesy of Steve Goff at the Washington Post,

This time it is César, (long name Cesar Augusto Herrmegildo) a 21 year old forward with DC United's partner club in Brazil, Atletico Mineiro.

César also spent time at another club, Botafogo. Apparently he
"works very well with both legs, excellent on long balls, precision on short passes, very good free kicks taker and is great future talent". Just the kind of players more MLS clubs should be going after.

Goff promises more information tomorrow.

Perhaps we will get a taste of what he is capable of in the pre-season Texas Pro Soccer Festival tourney.

Here's some video we found of him in action:

INCOMING: Joao Pinto to Toronto FC (Part Deux)

Rating: 0 (Who knows/who cares anymore?)

Here we go again:

Really we have no idea whether he is coming or going anymore but leave it to Setanta to post this story, sure to stir up the Toronto FC faithful.

The guy obviously wants to come to MLS as he has turned down lucrative offers in the Middle East "for family reasons". That is why we uspect if for some reason Toronto and he can't come to terms then some other club will probably take their chances. He just reminds us of Denilson, who signed with FC Dallas last year and was a flop.

But who knows? He may come here and light it up.

INCOMING: Renaldo to Colorado Rapids? Reinaldo Navia to FC Dallas (CLOSE)

Rating: 5 (Very good)

An update on the A-League's Reinaldo coming to MLS.

Reports out of Australia have linked the 23 year old Brazilian striker to an imminent move to the Colorado rapids. Reinaldo Elias da Costa currently plays his football for the Australian A-League side Queensland Roar and had previously been linked by us and others to Real Salt Lake. Unfortunately for "The Mighty Real", the Colorado Rapids beat them to the punch in filing a discovery claim, ensuring that RSL had to keep their hands off the player.

With today's trade of Hernandez to Columbus and another trade looming, there are sure signs Colorado clearly making salary room for a player whose deal is pretty much done.

In other news Steve Goff at the Washington Post is reporting talks between Ecuadorian forward Roberto Mina and FC Dallas have broken down but he may be picked up by Colorado (his guess). And that FC Dallas may be close to signing Chilean forward Reinaldo Navia.


Here is video of Reinaldo from Queensland in action:

REPORT: CD Golden Boys de la Houston - Dynamo Rebranding?

Rating: 1 (Poor)

While going through our Spanish language sites of choice we came across this in a report about Houston Dynamo's new celebrity owner-operator, Oscar De La Hoya. We do not believe this is likely at all but it is bound to be a rumor in some communities, since it's published in La Opinion.

As the report states:

"Lo cierto es que hasta insinúa un nombre: los Golden Boys de Houston en lugar del Dynamo."

or in English:

"The truth is that even suggests a name: the Golden Boys Houston instead of Dynamo."

And some people thought CD Chivas USA was bad.

We do not believe this would happen as Oscar De La Hoya has gone on record as not wanting to mess with perfection, so we doubt it would happen. But it's a scary thought isn't it?

TRADE: Nicolas Hernandez for Tim Ward

Rating: 5 (Very Good)

Steve Goff at the Washington Post is reporting that Columbus has traded 20 year old defender Tim Ward for 28 year old Argentine forward Nicolas Hernandez of the Colorado Rapids.

The Colorado Rapids website confirms this.

One has to seriously wonder what Colorado is doing by trading away their one healthy forward after just acquiring a true number 10, in the form of Argentine playmaker, Christian Gomez.

Question of the day for Rapids fans: Who is going to score the goals?

SIDEBAR: As one of our readers comments below, they think Colorado has something in the works. We do as well. It is hard to imagine them trading away their only healthy forward without a plan. The only thing we have is a dusty old rumor from last month that Agustin "El Tin" Delgado would be headed to the club. Could it still be on? Trading away Hermamdez frees up some salary cap space to be sure.We'll keep scouring our foreign papers to see if he or any one else might be headed that way.

INCOMING: Kenny Deuchar to Real Salt Lake (Done Deal)

Rating: 5 (Very good)

The deal is done. You can read about it here and here.

EXPANSION: Insider Reveals Philadelphia MLS Name

Rating: 3 (Possible)

We received an email from a source claiming to be from MLS that stated the name will be revealed at a planned press conference for Thursday first alluded to here on MLSRumors 11 days ago.

Our source states:

"I want to remain anonymous but I can tell you the name of the new Philly club is going to be Philadelphia Independence FC. This has been the working name for some time and they are signing off on it. More will probably be shown at the Thursday presser. Keep up the good work guys."

EDIT: We have downgraded this rumor from 4 (Good) to 3(Possible) upon new information sent to us.

INCOMING: Franco Caraccio to Houston Dynamo (DONE DEAL)

Rating: 5 (Very Good)

This is just an update on our Franco Caraccio to Houston rumor. He will be introduced at a press conference at Dynamo headquarters later today.

REPORT: LA Galaxy Asia Tour To Be Broadcast By Fox Soccer Channel

As the David Beckham/LA Galaxy pre-season tour moves further into Asia we now have a report from the Businesswire that states Fox Soccer Channel has acquired the English Language rights to a series of friendlies in Korea, vs the K-League's FC Seoul and in China vs Shanghai-Hong Kong United as well as Hong Kong Union.

INCOMING: Kenny Deuchar to Real Salt Lake?

Rating: 3 (Possible)

Real Salt Lake needs goals, well this striker may be just what the doctor ordered.

In fact he IS a doctor.

According to reports out of Scotland, 27 year old Gretna striker and medical doctor Kenny Deuchar is interested in pursuing a career with the Utah based club.

Here's video of him in action:

TRADE: Ronnie O'Brien to San Jose?

Rating: 3 (Possible)

We kick this day off with some Canadian Content courtesy of our friends at The Score. Apparently the often injured right midfielder is on his way to San Jose. When healthy Ronnie O'Brien was one of the better midfielders in the league.

There are rumors Ronnie O'Brien was unhappy in Toronto and with their Fieldturf pitch which some feel may have contributed to his injury woes.

Completely un-related, Ives Galarcep hints that Philadelphia's expansion announcement may be delayed due to red tape.