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Lion Links: 12/14/17

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It’s Thursday again, faithful readers, which means the weekend is so close you can almost smell it from here. So are the holidays, for that matter.

But enough about smells. Let’s give you something for your eyes to see. Here’s what I’ve scraped up for your morning smorgasbord of soccery goodness:

Your Orlando City Transfer Rumor of the Day

Argentinian center back Jonatan Maidana has been linked to Orlando City over the last 48 hours or so although no formal offer has been reportedly made to his club, River Plate.

Todavía no hubo ningún ofrecimiento formal, pero Orlando City de Estados Unidos sigue de cerca a Jonatan Maidana. Si llega una oferta interesante por el defensor, River la analizará.

— Gustavo Yarroch (@GustavoYarroch) December 12, 2017

Maidana seems like one of those rumors that seems common with this club — plausible but nothing seemingly imminent or even on the boil. The Lions could use a veteran center back to pair with Jonathan Spector, obviously, after shipping a metric ton of goals and failing to find Specs a consistently reliable partner last year. Maidana would bring experience to the back line — he’s been capped four times by Argentina — but he’s 32 years old. That’s not ancient for a center back but does he fit the profile of the player the club has said it wants to sign? We’ll keep our eyes and ears open.

Here’s a shot of Maidana playing against Orlando City in a recent closed door friendly.

Image via @RiverPlatePho on Twitter.

Orlando City Passes in Waiver Draft

Another MLS Waiver Draft has come and gone and with it our excitement level is…well, unchanged. I mean, who gets hyped about the Waiver Draft? Usually anywhere from zero to two players actually change teams during this unnecessary player mechanism. A whopping two players went in yesterday’s MLS Waiver Draft, but Orlando City didn’t pick anyone up and no ex-Lions were taken. Only San Jose’s Kip Colvey (to Colorado) and LA Galaxy goalkeeper Clement Diop (to Montreal) changed teams.

So the Lions weren’t involved in the Expansion Draft or the Waiver Draft in any way, which leaves only the Re-Entry Draft ahead, with Stage 1 coming up tomorrow and Stage 2 next week. If you’re unclear about the details of that one, here’s a refresher. We eagerly await movement on the player front and Orlando has a habit of pulling something together just before the holidays, so stay tuned.

Former Lion Traded to Columbus Crew

Speaking of LA Galaxy goalkeepers, Jon Kempin was dealt to the Crew yesterday for a fourth-round pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft. You may recall Kempin from his nine appearances on loan with Orlando City back in 2013. It seems weird that anyone other than Miguel Gallardo ever played with the USL Lions but it did happen sometimes.

Darlington Nagbe Traded to Atlanta United

In the blockbuster MLS deal of the off-season so far, the Portland Timbers shipped midfielder Darlington Nagbe off to the dirty south yesterday for a record $1.65 million in allocation money. That’s $0.05 million more than what Orlando City coughed up for Dom Dwyer last summer but Atlanta United also got defender Gbenga Arokoyo so it’s not quite breaking the record, in my book. The deets:

Portland receives $750,000 in General Allocation Money, at least $300,000 in Targeted Allocation Money, and a 2018 international roster spot. The total could rise up to $900,000 in TAM based on incentives.

Isn’t Atlanta going to need that international slot for its never-ending parade of South Americans? Maybe not. Yamil Asad’s loan expired and Miguel Almiron will likely be headed overseas either this winter or next summer.

Giovanni Savarese Says Goodbye to Cosmos, Next Stop Portland?

The Portland Timbers are reportedly close to replacing Caleb Porter with Giovanni Cavarese, who said goodbye to the New York Cosmos publicly on Wednesday. Savarese is thought to be one of the better up-and-coming coaches available after winning three NASL titles from 2013 to 2017 and leading New York to an undefeated 2015 season.

Orlando City Stadium Completes Fantastic First Year

The purple palace had an outstanding first year of existence, hosting MLS, NWSL, and USL games, a USMNT World Cup qualifier, and the 2017 Women’s College Cup. With rave reviews from players, coaches, pundits, and officials alike, Orlando City Stadium is just getting started. Florida Cup arrives in January and don’t be surprised if some other exciting events are announced in the near future.

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Going from Tanzania to Spain we were not prepared for our luggage to be lost. @airfrance @KenyaAirways pleeeeeeease help us find our bags 36 hours later and we can’t really keep wearing these outfits 😑

— Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) December 13, 2017

  • Among those born on this date were astronomy pioneer Tycho Brahe (1546), writer — one of the best, IMO — Shirley Jackson (1916), Patty Duke (1946), rock critic Lester Bangs (1948), Bill Buckner (1949), Craig Biggio (1965), Michael Owen (1979), and Chris Brunt (1984).

That’s all I’ve got for you today. Enjoy your Thursday and let’s get ready for the weekend.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 2/12/25

Leagues Cup Schedule released, Sams and Moorhouse called up, Champions League results, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! It’s new home kit reveal day, so get ready to potentially spend some money. I may end up getting one regardless of how it looks. I’ve lost some weight, and while that is good, none of my jerseys fit anymore. I hope it’s a good one.

We want to wish a very happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Jhon Solis. Additionally, I want to wish my son Chris a very happy birthday. Now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City’s Leagues Cup Fixtures Revealed

The official Leagues Cup 2025 Phase One schedule dropped Tuesday, meaning we now know Orlando City’s first three matches of the competition. All three matches will be played at Inter&Co Stadium against Liga MX squads. The Lions will face Pumas UNAM in the first match on July 30, followed by Atlas FC on Aug. 2, and then Necaxa on Aug. 6. Phase One of the competition is effectively a group stage. If Orlando City can advance out of Phase One, the Lions will head to the knockout rounds.

Pride International Call Ups

The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams and Anna Moorhouse received call-ups for the USWNT and the England Women’s National Team, respectively. USWNT Coach Emma Hayes included Sams on her 23-player roster for the 2025 SheBelieves Cup later this month. The U.S. will play matches against Japan, Australia, and Colombia.

Moorhouse was selected by Lioness coach Sarina Wiegman for the UEFA Women’s Nations League. England’s first two matches are against Portugal on Feb. 21 and against Spain on Feb. 26. After that, the competition continues in April.

MLS Transfer Round Up

With Orlando City finally signing some new players, other MLS clubs continue to make moves in the off-season. Former Orlando City midfielder Junior Urso signed with the Houston Dynamo through 2025 with an option for 2026. Houston is the Bear’s third MLS club.

French second-division side Amiens SC is in a selling mood. The club sent defender Osaze Urhoghide to FC Dallas. Minnesota United FC signed midfielder Owen Gene from Amiens SC to an MLS U22 Initiative contract.

Elsewhere, the Philadelphia Union signed Homegrown forward Eddy Davis III, and D.C. United signed midfielder Brandon Servania. Out west, the San Jose Earthquakes have signed goalkeeper Daniel to a contract extension, and Nashville SC signed midfielder Matthew Corcoran from USL Championship side Birmingham Legion FC.

Champions League Results

UEFA Champions League continued Tuesday, with Paris Saint-Germain getting things going with a 3-0 win over Brest. Ousmane Dembélé scored a brace in the match to cement the victory. Borussia Dortmund also managed a 3-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon. All three goals came in the second half, including Serhou Guirassy’s 10th in the competition to equal Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski.

Real Madrid scored two goals to come from behind and defeat Manchester City 3-2. Jude Bellingham scored the winning goal in second-half stoppage time. Weston McKennie got things going for Juventus in its 2-1 victory over PSV Eindhoven. Samuel Mbangula scored the winning goal.

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That will do it for today. Check back later today for our coverage of the new kit. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 2/11/25

Orlando City signs Eduard Atuesta, MLS news roundup, Americans in midweek action, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, gang! It was a long weekend for me but an interesting one, as I attended an event at St. Louis City’s Energizer Stadium on Saturday night. It was a fun time, but personally I prefer Orlando City’s home digs. We have plenty of things to discuss this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Orlando City Signs Eduard Atuesta

Orlando City has found its replacement for the injured Wilder Cartagena, as the club announced the signing of Colombian midfielder Eduard Atuesta from Palmeiras on Monday. Atuesta’s deal runs through the end of the 2025 season and also contains a club option for 2026. While the Lions still have some depth issues that need to be addressed at various positions, Atuesta will pair alongside Cesar Araujo in midfield, and if his previous numbers in Major League Soccer are any indication, he may even provide more goal scoring and creation from the position than Cartagena usually did.

MLS News Roundup

With the start of the MLS season under two weeks away, the off-season news is still flying thick and fast. First up, the Colorado Rapids have signed midfielder Ted Ku-DiPietro from D.C. United in exchange for up to $1.4 million in cash, with United also maintaining a sell-on percentage in the player. The trade was executed using the league’s cash-based trade system, with Colorado becoming the latest team to make use of the new mechanism. Up next, San Diego FC has signed defender Willy Kumado from Lyngby Boldklub in the Danish Superliga. The right back joins on a two-year deal that also contains option years for 2027 and 2028. Finally, Tom Bogert is reporting that Joseph Paintsil is expected to be out of action for over a month after sustaining an injury to his quadriceps.

Americans in Midweek Action

As always, there are a number of Americans taking part in games during the working week, and there’s a heavy emphasis on UEFA Champions League play. Things get started later today, as Tim Weah, Weston McKennie, and Juventus face a PSV Eindhoven side that has all four of Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Sergino Dest, and Malik Tillman injured. Meanwhile, Gio Reyna, Cole Campbell, and Borussia Dortmund will travel to face Sporting CP. Wednesday has Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah traveling with AC Milan to take on Feyenoord, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic will be sorely tested at home against Bayern Munich. Thursday will wrap up European play with Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis squaring off against Gent in the Conference League.

Josh Sargent’s Opportunity

Josh Sargent had a difficult end to 2024, as he spent several months on the sideline while recovering from a groin injury that eventually required surgery. There were some natural moments of wondering what he’d be like when he made his return, but he’s hit the ground running since his first game back on Jan. 25, as he has four goals in three games for Norwich City. Not only is he getting his chance at the club level, but with Pepi and Folarin Balogun both currently injured, Sargent looks almost certain to lead the line for the United States Men’s National Team for March’s Concacaf Nations League semifinal matches. Sometimes timing is everything, and right now Sargent’s timing is pretty damn good.

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That does it for me this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 2/10/25

Orlando City falls to CF Montreal in preseason scrimmage, latest OCSC transfer rumblings, MLS transfer roundup, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. Under Armour has been keeping me busy, and I’ve been covering some high school basketball. We are less than two weeks away from the 2025 MLS season kicking off, with the Lions’ home opener on Feb. 22 against the Philadelphia Union. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links. Before we do, we want to thank subscriber Dave Shine for upgrading to a Designated Player support level. We appreciate all of our supporters, and to see if one of our three levels of support is right for you, please visit our Buy Me a Coffee page.

Orlando City Falls to CF Montreal in Preseason Scrimmage

Orlando City suffered a preseason loss on Saturday, falling 2-1 to CF Montreal in a 120-minute friendly scrimmage at Inter&Co Stadium. The match remained scoreless after 90 minutes of play, and the two clubs played an extra 30-minute session. CF Montreal took a 2-0 lead before Nico Lodeiro scored a late free-kick goal for the Lions to make it 2-1. The Lions’ next preseason match will be Tuesday against USL Championship side Rhode Island FC in a closed-door scrimmage. Orlando will conclude its preseason friendly schedule on Friday in Tampa against Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium.

Latest Orlando City Transfer Reports

The Lions have been busy as we get close to their home opener in 12 days. Midfielder Eduard Atuesta reportedly had his medical exam with Orlando City on Friday, but nothing is official until it’s official. Atuesta reportedly terminated his contract with Palmeiras two years before it expired, and the Brazilian club will keep 20% of any future sale as Orlando works towards finalizing the deal.

Meanwhile, the Lions have also reportedly submitted a transfer bid to Bolivian club Always Ready midfielder Moises Paniagua. Per the source post from Twitter, the bid was lower than the club is expecting for Paniagua.

Lastly, defender Noham Abdellaoui of Serie A side Genoa has reportedly signed a one-year contract to join Orlando City. This seems like more of a move the club would make to stock OCB than the first team, but we’ll wait to see if it becomes official.

MLS Transfer Roundup

Major League Soccer had another busy weekend with some notable transfer moves. CF Montreal added a pair of defenders, signing former Lion Luca Petrasso through the 2025 season with options for 2026 and 2027. He played against Orlando City on Saturday. Montreal also signed defender Brandan Craig through the 2025 season with options for 2026, 2027, and 2028. New York Red Bulls forward Lewis Morgan has reached an agreement on a new contract, extending his deal through 2026 with options for 2027 and 2028. The Chicago Fire have signed defender Omar Gonzalez on a contract for the 2025 season with a club option for 2026.

Keeping Up With Americans Abroad

We had another busy weekend featuring Americans in action in Europe. Norwich City forward Josh Sargent continues his stellar form as he scored in his third consecutive match in a 1-1 draw against Derby County on Saturday. Sargent has scored four goals in his last three appearances for the EFL Championship side. Christian Pulisic came off the bench for AC Milan in the second half and notched two assists as AC Milan defeated Empoli 2-0 and moved to seventh in the Serie A table. Cardiff City goalkeeper Ethan Horvath made three clutch saves in an FA Cup match against Stoke City. One was in the penalty shootout as Cardiff City defeated Stoke City 4-2 on penalty kicks after a 3-3 draw and move on to the Round of 16.

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  • Orlando City midfielder Wilder Cartagena tweeted that he recently had surgery at the end of January. We here at The Mane Land wish Wilder a speedy recovery.
  • Former Lion Alexandre Pato visited his former teammates during preseason training last week.
  • Orlando City announced its theme night calendar for the 2025 season, featuring wrestling night, pride in our city night, and a video game night.
  • Plymouth Argyle defeated Liverpool 1-0 on Sunday to knock out the Reds in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
  • After multiple delays, the popular mobile game Football Manager 25 has been canceled just weeks before its March release. Sports Interactive issued the following statement on social media.

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

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