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Lion Links: 1/14/17

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It’s been a whirlwind few days in the soccer world with the NSCAA convention, NWSL College Draft, and the MLS Combine and SuperDraft. We get to relax a little bit this Saturday and recuperate before Orlando City gets to participate in the last two rounds of the SuperDraft on Tuesday. But Orlando might be getting a couple other young players into camp through other means.

I wouldn’t mind becoming like the Galaxy and trading draft picks for assets like Donny Toia while getting our young players through the academy. But that second rounder for half a year of Corey Ashe still stings a little.

With all the hoopla in the soccer world, there’s also plenty of news going around and that means plenty of Lion Links. We’ve got a loaded schedule for you today, full of Orlando City transfer talk and a run down of yesterday’s SuperDraft, so let’s get started.

Minnesota United Hoping to Land Molino

Adrian Heath is apparently trying to land his old star. Ives Galarcep of Goal.com reported that Minnesota United has “made a sizable offer” for the Trinidad & Tobago midfielder, hoping to acquire him from the Lions. Molino was arguably Orlando City’s best player in 2016, with 11 goals and eight assists in league play. According to Alicia DelGallo of the Sentinel, the club is not looking to sell.

The biggest tidbit of information in that article might be that Molino is unhappy with his current compensation, which was $121,400 guaranteed last year, according to the MLS Players’ Union. As one of OCSC’s better attackers, it’s not hard to see why he’s upset with the figures some other players are on.

Pay the man, Orlando. It would be a disappointment to see him in any other color but purple.

Kaká Turns Down Cortiba

One player we definitely know will be here in the coming year is the superstar. With only one year remaining on his contract, Kaká has already been discussing a return to Brazil but Cortiba FC of Brazil’s Serie A wants it to happen a bit sooner. ESPN reports that the Orlando captain turned down the club’s advances, opting to see out his contract in the City Beautiful. It’s good to know that the Lions will have their DP play-maker available for 2017 even though he’s a top target for some clubs in his home country. Enjoy him while he’s here, folks.

Orlando City Executives Win Two Awards

The MLS Year-End Awards took place in Los Angeles this weekend and, just like last year, OCSC took home some hardware, tying for the most awards won in the league. The #OrlandoUnited campaign earned the club the Social Media Activation of the Year. The successful tribute to the deadly Pulse tragedy united the community and the match against San Jose was a special moment.

The team’s vice president of of corporate partnerships, Rob Parker, also won the league’s Corporate Partnerships Executive of the Year. His achievements include partnerships with Disney, Publix, and Orlando Health. Still waiting on confirmation on the stadium name though.

Don Garber Eager to See MLS Grow

MLS has been expanding steadily over the past few years, with cities apparently lining up to get the next franchise, and Commissioner Don Garber has put it on himself to control that growth for the betterment of the league. Key to that has been trying to buck the trend of MLS as a retirement league and sign key players in their prime like Sebastian Giovinco and Nicolas Lodeiro.

To help that mission, a study was conducted to understand U.S. soccer markets and what they like and dislike about the league in an attempt to improve the fan experience and attract more people. Garber has already done a great job creating a stable league with investors lining up and with the explosion of Allocation Money in the last few years and the work going into future improvements, it should be trending farther up from here.

SuperDraft Recap

Orlando City didn’t have a pick in the first two rounds on Friday thanks to trades for Donny Toia and Corey Ashe, but it was still a spectacle. Our own Austin David was on site for full coverage and quotes from the draft room floor from the Orlando City brass. There was all kinds of movement in the top four picks. Adrian Heath’s Minnesota United took UCLA forward Abu Danladi with the first overall pick, followed by fellow expansion side Atlanta United taking Syracuse’s Miles Robinson. The early shocker was New York City FC trading $250,000 in allocation money to trade up to third and not take forward Jeremy Ebobisse. And that was perhaps the biggest news on the day, that MLS is now announcing the amount of allocation money involved in trades. We’re taking baby steps towards transparency.

NWSL to Los Angeles?

With USWNT legend Mia Hamm a part owner of incoming MLS club Los Angeles FC, there’s bound to be talk of a women’s team to the city. NWSL Commissioner Jeff Plush confirmed that the league was looking hard at the market in an attempt to “become a more national property.” Vancouver was also mentioned as a likely expansion destination in the near future. The Seattle Reign and Portland Thorns are isolated from the other eight clubs on the west coast, so it would help reduce some travel costs to get more teams out that way.

Those are all of the links we have for you on this post-draft Saturday. Enjoy the breather from drafting before rounds three and four commence early next week. And remember to check back early and often for all of the OCSC coverage you could ask for.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/20/24

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS season schedule announced, MLS mock drafts, MLS clubs making moves, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I finally have everything squared away after a week of hustling and bustling, meaning I can thankfully avoid the stores this weekend and just relax before next week’s chaos. I’m still trying to nail down what I’ll be cooking as my contribution for my family’s holiday dinner, but it should be fun trialing some options over the next few days. For now though, let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS Schedule Announced

MLS revealed the schedule for the 2025 season and Orlando City’s first game of the season will be at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. Orlando has yet to start a season on the road since joining the league back in 2015. The Lions aren’t scheduled to play against expansion club San Diego FC this year, but they will play their first road game against St. Louis City on June 25. While a majority of Orlando’s games will be on Saturdays, they do have a pair of games on Sundays against Inter Miami, including a rivalry week showdown on May 18. Decision Day will be on Oct. 18, with the Lions on the road to take on Toronto FC to close out the regular season.

Predicting the 2025 MLS SuperDraft

The MLS SuperDraft is set to take place today and Top Drawer Soccer did a mock draft to predict how the first two rounds will go. Orlando City currently has the 27th pick in the first round and Top Drawer Soccer has them selecting defensive midfielder Jackson Castro out of Creighton. The pick makes enough sense to me, as Orlando lost some depth in its midfield following the 2024 season and Castro was Duncan McGuire’s teammate on a strong Creighton team a couple of years ago. The Lions were also predicted to take West Virginia winger Sergio Ors Navarro and Kentucky forward Logan Dorsey in the second round.

Travis Clark of MLSsoccer.com also did a mock draft of the first round, with Orlando taking Cornell winger Alioune Ka. Interestingly enough, both mock drafts have NCAA leading scorer Emil Jaaskelainen going in the first round after Orlando’s pick. I’m pretty excited to see how it all shakes out today and learn which players will become the latest Lions on the team.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

The off-season is bringing plenty of change across the league as teams continue wheeling and dealing in preparation for the 2025 season. The New England Revolution made a splash by trading away up to $3.25 million in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Miami in exchange for attacker Leonardo Campana. The 24-year-old should give a needed boost to a New England team that only scored 37 goals this season. As for Miami, it now has an MLS-trade record fee of $2.5 million in guaranteed GAM and an open Designated Player spot at its disposal.

The LA Galaxy traded away 2024 MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman and a conditional $100,000 in GAM to Nashville SC in exchange for midfielder Sean Davis. Brugman will help Nashville fill the gap left by Anibal Godoy, who joined San Diego FC as a free agent. FC Dallas also added a free agent, signing defender Lalas Abubakar to a two-year deal.

GAM Amounts Revealed for Each MLS Club

MLS pulled back the curtain a bit and unveiled the amount of General Allocation Money that each team had as of Dec. 10. Orlando City’s total comes in at $3,990,312, which is a pretty hefty amount that can be used to improve the team. Atlanta United’s $6,503,478 is the most in the league, while the Houston Dynamo are at the other end of the spectrum with just $2,063,538. The Campana trade helps put these amounts into perspective, but there are many uses for GAM and it’s interesting to see where each club stands. It’s also just nice to get some transparency from the league about this and hopefully that trend continues in 2025.

Free Kicks

  • The National Independent Soccer Association will reportedly no longer be sanctioned by the United States Soccer Foundation next year, which would leave MLS NEXT Pro and USL League One as the third-division leagues in the U.S.
  • Tottenham beat Manchester United 4-3 to claim the final semifinal spot in the EFL Cup, with Son Heung-Min scoring directly from a corner kick. Tottenham will face off against Liverpool in the next round, with Newcastle and Arsenal squaring off in the other semifinal.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I wish you all a relaxing weekend and a very happy holidays!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/19/24

Preparing for the MLS SuperDraft, New York Red Bulls sign Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Tim Weah injured, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve knocked out all of my shopping except for one gift I’m still trying to procure. I have a lead on it though and high hopes that I can get a literal bow on it before traveling to visit my family next week. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Getting Ready for the MLS SuperDraft

The 2025 MLS SuperDraft will take place on Friday and the league released the list of 477 eligible players clubs can choose from. This year’s Generation Adidas class includes Cornell forward Alex Harris, North Carolina left back Tate Johnson, Wisconsin forward Dean Boltz, and UC Santa Barbara defensive midfielder Manu Duah. Those players likely won’t be on the board by the time Orlando City’s 27th overall pick rolls around, but the team has proven in the past it isn’t afraid to make a trade for a top prospect.

Here’s a nice position-by-position breakdown of some of the best players available on Friday. I personally think Orlando could use some depth at center back, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the team rolls the dice on a center forward given its track record. Unfortunately, we’ll have to follow along with each pick on the league’s website rather than a stream.

MLS Transfer Roundup

After falling in the MLS Cup final earlier this month, the New York Red Bulls have added some firepower by signing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as a Designated Player. The 35-year-old heads to MLS after playing for Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Stoke City, and Schalke 04 over the past 10 years. The Red Bulls now have a fairly dangerous trio of Designated Players in Choupo-Moting, Emil Forsberg, and Dante Vanzeir.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the New England Revolution added midfielder Jackson Yueill as a free agent. The 27-year-old signed a three-year contract that includes options for 2028 and 2029. D.C. United traded away $150,000 in General Allocation Money to Nashville SC in exchange for defender Lukas MacNaughton. FC Dallas signed midfielder Ramiro Benetti, who has spent the past two seasons with Cruzeiro Esporte Clube in Brazil. Veteran defender Nick Lima has returned to the San Jose Earthquakes, signing a two-year contract with the club.

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

The injuries continue to rack up for the Americans, as Tim Weah will miss some time after sustaining a thigh injury earlier this week in Juventus’ win over Cagliari. In better news for Americans plying their trade abroad, forward Ricardo Pepi scored twice in PSV Eindhoven’s 8-0 win against Koninklijke HFC in the KNVB Cup. Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool are all reportedly interested in left back Antonee Robinson, who turned some heads with a pair of assists on Sunday.

EFL Cup Semifinals Nearly Set

The EFL Cup semifinals are setting up to be a heavyweight affair, with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle all advancing from the quarterfinals. The day belonged to Gabriel Jesus, who scored his first hat trick for Arsenal in a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace. Liverpool extended its unbeaten streak to 20 games across all competitions after a 2-1 win over Southampton, while Newcastle United beat Brentford thanks to a brace from Sandro Tonali. The final semifinalist will come from today’s match between Manchester United and Tottenham, with the draw taking place afterwards.

Free Kicks

  • The NWSL Shield and Championship trophy paid a visit to WFTV’s studios, and it’s still a bit surreal that the Orlando Pride secured both pieces of silverware this season.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/18/24

Another report on the Facundo Torres transfer, Marta wins her own award, Becky Sauerbrunn retires, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. For those that celebrate Christmas, we’re only a week out, so I hope you’ve gotten your shopping done. If not, no judgement from me, just encouragement. I know you can do it! I think we can all do with a little more encouragement these days. For now, let’s get to the links.

Torres Deal Done?

WESH is reporting that the Facundo Torres to Palmeiras deal is done. As of this writing, there has been no confirmation from either club, but it is reasonable to think where there’s this much smoke, there’s fire. Torres may have scored his last goal in purple, and will leave as the club’s all-time leader in that category after three seasons. According to the report, Torres signed a five-year deal with the Brazilian club. We will provide updates as information becomes available.

Marta Wins Marta Award

In the most appropriate award selection in history, Marta has won the inaugural FIFA award for the best goal in women’s soccer, aptly named The FIFA Marta Award.

The award winning goal came in Brazil’s international friendly against Jamaica in June, as the Brazilian made a nice move to clear a defender and then sent in a long-range shot. Check it out.

Marta received the award at FIFA’s “The Best” Award ceremony in Doha, Qatar.

USWNT Legend Becky Sauerbrunn Retires

Former USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn is retiring from professional soccer. The legendary defender has played in the NWSL in every year of it’s existence. She retires having won three championships, one NWSL Shield, multiple Women’s World Cups, and Olympic medals. Sauerbrunn is definitively one of the best to ever wear a U.S. jersey.

NWSL, MLS NEXT Pro Expand

The NWSL is entering into exclusive negotiations with a Denver-area group regarding the league’s next expansion franchise. Denver was picked above both Cincinnati and Cleveland. The expansion fee is in the $105-$120 million range.

MLS NEXT Pro is also adding another new team. Until a new name, logo, and brand are settled on, the team will be called West Michigan Soccer. The team will be the sixth independent club in MLS NEXT Pro. Orlando City B won’t have the opportunity to play the new team until 2027.

Free Kicks

  • Torres’ goal against Nashville made it into a compilation of volleyed goals from the MLS Twitter account.

That will do it for today. Keep checking in as our Orlando City and Orlando Pride Season in Review pieces continue. Vamos Orlando!

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