Good morning, everyone. It’s hard to believe that we’re under two weeks away from the start of the Major League Soccer season, but time shows absolutely no sign of slowing down anytime soon. We’ve got a whole lot of things to discuss this morning, so let’s get right into the links.

Getting to Know Harvey Sarajian

Harvey Sarajian was born in Naples, and the first professional soccer game that he ever went to was when Orlando City took on the Chicago Fire all the way back in 2015. After becoming Orlando’s first pick in this year’s MLS SuperDraft, he’s now earned a contract with the team he watched 11 years ago, and he did so just four days after starting to train with the Lions. He spent a lot of time as a left winger in college, and spoke about his desire to beat defenders out wide and either get service into the box or cut onto his right foot and try to score. He also highlighted Duncan McGuire and Tyrese Spicer as two individuals who have helped him as he settles into his new surroundings.

Monitoring Former Lions Abroad

It’s been a busy few days for some of Orlando City’s former players who have taken their talents overseas. Cyle Larin got his debut for Southampton started with a bang on Saturday, as he entered the game as a substitute in the 67th minute and promptly scored the game’s only goal just three minutes later to lift the team to victory over Watford. The more recently departed Alex Freeman made his debut for Villareal on Monday, when he entered the game in the 73rd minute of a 4-1 win over Espanyol in La Liga action. Finally, Benji Michel has seemingly concluded his time with Finnish side HJK Helsinki, as he posted a farewell to the club on his Instagram page.

Americans in Midweek Action

As is usually the case, there are a number of American players taking part in games during the working week. Things will get started today when Brenden Aaronson and Leeds face Chelsea in the Premier League. Action in England rolls on Wednesday when Antonee Robinson and Fulham face Manchester United, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace take on Burnley. The Wednesday action concludes when Alejandro Zendejas and Club America attempt to maintain their 2-1 first leg advantage over CD Olimpia, and advance to the next round of the Concacaf Champions Cup. Things then finish up on Friday when Folarin Balogun and Monaco host Nantes in Ligue 1 action.

MLS Transfer Roundup

Monday brought a fresh wave of movement in the transfer market for Major League Soccer, so let’s catch up on what happened. CF Montreal has signed forward Noah Streit from FC Basel on a deal that runs through the 2028-2029 season, with an option for 2029-2030. Moving to the Western Conference, Real Salt Lake signed defender Juan Jose Arias on loan from Atletico Nacional as an MLS U22 Initiative signing. The center back’s loan runs until July 13 and contains a purchase option. San Diego FC has signed free agent midfielder Bryce Duke on a contract that runs through June of 2027 and contains options for the 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 seasons. Finally, Nashville SC has signed center back Jeisson Palacios to a contract extension through the 2027-2028 season, with an option for the 2028-2029 campaign.

Free Kicks

• Take a look at the Orlando Pride’s continuing preseason preparations.

• We got another teaser from OCSC ahead of today’s jersey release.

• The Young Lions have been getting in some preseason preparations of their own.

• Orlando City youth player Lennox Alvarado got a callup to the U-16 National Team training camp.

• Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly ended his boycott of Al Nassr matches.
• Jack Grealish has confirmed that he has undergone a foot surgery that will end his season.

That’s all I’ve got for you today. Vamos Orlando!

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you in Florida. I’ve been busy at work and will be covering some high school playoff basketball action later this week. We are less than two weeks away from Orlando City’s home opener against Red Bull New York. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Draw Nashville SC In Preseason Scrimmage

Orlando City picked up a 2-2 draw against Nashville SC in a preseason match at West Palm Beach, FL. The match was a closed-door scrimmage, and it was scoreless through halftime. In the second half, Hany Mukhtar scored the opening goal for Nashville. Martin Ojeda equalized for the Lions before Nashville added another goal to take the lead. After 90 minutes, the two sides played an extra 30 minutes, and Yutaro Tsukada set up Tiago, who buried the equalizer for the Lions. The next scheduled preseason match for Orlando will be another closed-door scrimmage Wednesday on the road against FC Cincinnati.

Orlando City Announces Iago Signing

On Saturday, Orlando City announced the signing of Brazilian defender Iago from CR Flamengo. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but online reports have stated the club will only receive 50% of a sell-on from the transfer move. Iago is signed through the 2028-2029 season on an MLS U22 Initiative contract. The 20-year-old Brazilian youth international came up through Flamengo’s academy and joined the U-20 side in 2022. He made his first-team debut in January 2024, has combined for 68 appearances, scored 14 goals, and logged more than 5,000 minutes across Flamengo’s senior and U-20 teams across all competitions. Iago also has 13 caps with Brazil’s U-20 team, scoring three goals, and captained the side during the FIFA U-20 World Cup last year. Iago is young and athletic and will likely be on the back line at the start of the season, with Robin Jansson sidelined with a foot injury.

Orlando City Announces 2026 Theme Nights Schedule

Orlando City announced its promotional theme night schedule for the 2026 season. There will be 11 featured theme nights this season, including returning traditions, community‑focused recognitions, culturally significant nights, and more. The club introduces two distinct categories for its theme nights in 2026, Jewel Nights and Celebration Nights. Some notable theme nights include a Kids’ Night on April 18, which coincides with the club mascot Kingston’s birthday. May 15 will be Lions Go Global Night, when Orlando City will recognize its players departing for international duty for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Noche Latina Night returns Oct. 10, Pride in Our City Night is Oct. 17, Military Appreciation Night is Oct. 24, and the final theme night event is Fan Appreciation Night on Nov. 7.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

Minnesota United officially announced the signing of Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez on Friday. The 34-year-old joins Minnesota on a short-term deal through June 2026, with a club option to extend through the end of the year. LAFC has acquired midfielder Stephen Eustaquio on loan from FC Porto. The 29-year-old Canadian international will be at the club through June 2026, and his contract includes a purchase option. LAFC sent the San Jose Earthquakes $50,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money for Eustaquio’s discovery rights. CF Montreal has signed goalkeeper Samsy Keita to a Homegrown contract through the 2028-2029 season with option years through 2030-2031. Lastly, Chivas is reportedly finalizing a deal to sign Jonny Perez from Nashville SC.

Free Kicks

• Orlando City posted on social media a photo of the club’s three Brazilian MLS U22 Initiative signings, Iago, Luis Otavio, and Tiago.

• The Orlando Pride are locked in and focused during preseason training camp at IMG Academy.

• Former Lions midfielder Jeorgio Kocevski has signed a contract to join USL Championship side FC Tulsa for the upcoming 2026 season.
• FC Barcelona announced over the weekend that the club has officially withdrawn from the European Super League project.
• Concacaf announced its competition calendar for the next four years, leading up to the 2030 FIFA World Cup. The Nations League will kick off this fall, while the Gold Cup will begin in June 2027. The first round of World Cup qualifying starts in September 2027.
• Alyssa Thompson scored her seventh goal across all competitions as Chelsea defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Sunday.
• FC Supra du Quebec, which will make its debut in the Canadian Premier League in April, will field only players born or raised in the province.
• Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo announced over the weekend that he has joined the Chelsea Women’s ownership group.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

Happy Friday! Hopefully the week went smoothly for you as we all get ready for the weekend. I don’t have many plans beyond some baking and reading over the next few days. I can’t wait until we can fill the weekends with Orlando soccer and it’s hard to believe the Lions are back in action in just a couple of weeks. But for now, let’s dive into the links!

Biggest Moves of the NWSL Off-Season

The Orlando Pride’s signing of defender Hailie Mace ranked fourth in CBS Sports‘ top 10 moves of the NWSL off-season. The 28-year-old did well with the Kansas City Current last season and the Pride signed her to a three-year contract to help strengthen the defense. Emily Sams’ move to Angel City FC placed third on the list, with the Pride receiving a hefty $650,000 in exchange. The Washington Spirit re-signing Trinity Rodman predictably tops the list, while the Denver Summit’s signings of Eva Gaetino and Lindsey Heaps were also notable.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

While Orlando City fans sit on their hands waiting for the team to fill its open Designated Player slot, other teams across the league are adding some firepower for the upcoming season. Minnesota United’s move for Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez came out of left field but is reportedly being finalized and he would not be a DP for the Loons.

FC Dallas is also reportedly working on bringing in a star midfielder, with the club in talks to sign Joaquín Valiente from Defensor SC of Uruguay. The 24-year-old has spent the past year in Ecuador on loan with Barcelona, recording five goals and five assists. The Vancouver Whitecaps signed Senegalese forward Cheikh Sabaly from FC Metz in Ligue 1. He had 15 goals last season to help Metz earn promotion to the top flight.

U.S. Cruises in Concacaf U-17 World Cup Qualifier

The United States U-17 Men’s National Team won 8-0 against St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the Concacaf qualifiers for the U-17 World Cup in November. Aaron Medina had a hat trick in the first half, while Paul Sokoloff and Malik Jakupovic scored braces in the game as well. Hopefully the U.S. can replicate this dominant performance when it takes on St. Kitts and Nevis on Saturday before wrapping things up against the Dominican Republic on Tuesday.

Leicester City Deducted Points For Breaching Rules

Leicester City was docked six points for breaching the profit and sustainability rules, dropping the club to 20th in the English Football League Championship standings. The club was charged for the breach by the English Premier League last May, and the timing puts it in danger of being relegated in back-to-back seasons. The Foxes are winless in their past four league games and without a manager after sacking Marti Cifuentes last season. Goal difference is all that currently separates Leicester from the relegation zone, and we’ll see if this point deduction is the difference maker in what could be a dramatic fight for survival at the bottom of the table.

Free Kicks

• We now know what number a couple of the newest Lions will be wearing this season. Midfielder Luis Otavio will be wearing Cesar Araujo’s old No. 5, while Tiago will wear No. 7.

• Former Orlando Pride forward Simone Charley is headed to England, signing with Newcastle in the Women’s Super League 2.
• Ademola Lookman scored in his first match for Atletico Madrid, helping the club beat Real Betis 5-0 to advance to the Copa del Rey semifinals.
• It was a record-breaking transfer window in women’s soccer this winter, although I wish the Pride were one of the big spenders.

• Amid Cristiano Ronaldo’s reported unhappiness regarding his club’s lack of spending, the Saudi Pro League stated that no player “determines decisions beyond their own club.”

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend.