Lion Links: 1/5/21

Happy Tuesday, Mane Landers. I hope your week is off to a good start despite the chilly weather. I’m back on campus for school for the first time in months for my sportscasting class and will be busy getting myself into back-to-school mode. We’ve got plenty of soccer news to get to today so let’s get to the links.

Andres Perea Reportedly Close to International Decision

Orlando City SC midfielder Andres Perea had a groundbreaking 2020 season and is reportedly close to making a decision on his international future. He made great strides and was a key contributor in the Lions’ run to the playoffs last season. Last month, the Lions made his loan from Atletico Nacional a permanent transfer. Perea shared his thoughts about exceeding his own expectations.

“I think we have a great group,” Perea said from Medellin where he is visiting family. “I think when you move to a new team, you try to adapt yourself as quickly as possible. I finished this year very happy because I think that I fulfilled objectives that maybe I didn’t think I would meet as quickly as I did.”

The adjustment for Perea moving from Colombia’s Categoria Primera A to MLS has been a smooth transition after being recruited by the Lions. After 28 appearances and 11 starts for the Lions, another major milestone came for Perea as he was called up the the U.S. Men’s National Team last month. Perea impressed at camp despite dealing with conflicting emotions from playing with the Colombia youth national teams in the past. If Perea decides to make the switch to the U.S. he will have to request a one-time permanent switch from FIFA.

Orlando Pride Stars Marta and Toni Pressley Announce Engagement

Marta and Toni Pressley will embark on a new chapter as the couple announced their engagement on Instagram. They have played together for the Orlando Pride since 2017. Marta is the first player in men’s or women’s soccer to score in five World Cup tournaments. Marta is considered one of the greatest players in the women’s game with six FIFA Player of the Year Awards and has scored a record 17 goals in World Cup play. Pressley has been with the Pride since the club joined the National Women’s Soccer League in 2016.

Marta and Toni are the second couple on the Orlando Pride to go public with their engagement following Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger, who tied the knot in December.

Inter Miami CF Loses Another Trademark Battle with Inter Milan

Inter Miami CF has now lost another trademark battle with Inter Milan to keep its name. In 2014, Inter Milan filed a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to the term “Inter,” arguing that Inter Milan is synonymous with the term. However In 2018, MLS applied for its own trademark for the name Inter Miami CF with the United States Patent and Trade Office, then the following year filed an opposition to Inter Milan’s trademark efforts in 2019. This battle has gone back and forth with MLS defending its right to use the name Inter Miami CF, but failed to prove its claim in court that the league has valid proprietary or ownership right in the name Inter. The club will now have to go to trial and prove that Inter Milan’s trademark claim for Inter is improper, descriptive, and meaningfully distinctive. If Inter Milan successfully acquires legal ownership of the mark, then Inter Miami CF may be forced to change its name down the road.

DeAndre Yedlin Could Return to MLS

Newcastle United defender DeAndre Yedlin is reportedly being pursued by an Eastern Conference MLS team. According to Ives Galarcep from SBI, an unnamed team has made a TAM offer for the services of Yedlin. The former Seattle Sounders standout has been subject to various rumors in recent weeks as his contract comes to an end for the Magpies. Yedlin has been linked to a return to MLS and other clubs around Europe. Yedlin has put on a solid performances for Newcastle and has started four straight matches. Many thought if Yedlin were to return to MLS it would be with the Sounders, who made an inquiry about the defender last summer, but determined a deal wasn’t feasible for a potential return. Where do you think Yedlin will land? Let me know in the comments below.

Free Kicks

• Orlando City SC forward Santiago Patino had been quiet since the club let him go in December but he took to social media to thank the club.

• With the U.K. government’s new national lockdown order, non-elite football has been suspended.
• The Uruguayan Football Players’ Association has demanded the immediate reinstatement of Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani and accused the English Football Association of demonstrating “absolute ignorance and disdain for a multicultural vision of the world,” for his three-game suspension.
• OL Reign has acquired Tziarra King and a 2022 second-round draft pick in a trade with Kansas City in exchanged for Darian Jenkins and the rights to Meg Brandt.

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