Lion Links: 2/3/21

Hello, Mane Landers. We’ve reached the middle of the week and it’s still cold outside. I’ve been catching up on homework, but hopefully some soccer news will warm you up a bit this morning. There is plenty to get to today, so let’s get to the links.

Camila Will Stay With Palmeiras

Former Orlando Pride midfielder Camila will stay with Palmeiras after renewing her contract with the club. Camila was loaned to Palmeiras in August and helped lead the club to the semifinals of the Brasileirão Feminino. She played 21 games and scored five goals with the Brazilian club while on loan.

Camila played with the Orlando Pride since the 2017 season and made 49 appearances, scoring five goals and logging five assists. We’ll still get another chance to see her in action later this month as she represents Brazil at the SheBelieves Cup, which begins on Feb. 18 at Exploria Stadium. Camila posted a farewell message on social media to teammates, staff, and fans.

Gunny Jonsdottir is Settling In With the Pride

As for the Pride players on the roster heading into the 2021 season, the team’s preseason training features both new and familiar faces. Icelandic midfielder Gunnhildur “Gunny” Jonsdottir is with the team after being traded from Kansas City and weighed in on her time with the Pride so far. No matter how Pride Head Coach Marc Skinner utilizes her skills in the midfield, she intends to bring energy and physicality to the team.

National Soccer Hall of Fame Announces 2021 Finalists

The National Soccer Hall of Fame unveiled the finalists being considered for the 2021 class. There are 20 finalists on the player ballot and 10 each for the veteran and builder ballots. The most notable names on the player ballot include Inter Miami co-owner and former Galaxy star David Beckham, U.S. Men’s National Team Head Coach Gregg Berhalter, standout USWNT goalkeeper Hope Solo, CF Montreal Head Coach Thierry Henry, and Real Salt Lake assistant Pablo Mastroeni.

On the other ballots, finalists include Toronto FC owner Tim Leiweke, former D.C. United and Toronto executive Kevin Payne, and New York Red Bulls broadcaster Shep Messing. The Hall of Fame’s Selection Committees will cast their votes from Feb. 5 to Feb. 10, and the 2021 class will be announced in March.

Potential Free Transfer Targets for MLS Clubs

Now that the transfer window is closed, we can speculate who can come to Major League Soccer in the summer. Greg Seltzer of MLSsoccer.com made a list of potential targets MLS clubs can bring into the league for free during the next transfer window. With Orlando City able to add another Designated Player, it’s worth keeping an eye on attacking players on the list like Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero, Zenit St. Petersburg’s Sebastian Driussi, and Haitian striker Duckens Nazon.

FC Dallas Defender Loaned to Bayern Munich

Speaking of transfers, another American will head to Europe as FC Dallas defender Justin Che agreed to join FC Bayern Munich on loan. Che has been training with Bayern Munich for the past three weeks under its player development program. The move will be a six-month loan with no option to buy. Former FC Dallas player Chris Richards also joined Bayern Munich in 2019 and is currently on loan with Hoffenheim. Once Che’s loan is approved, he will feature for Bayern Munich II in the 3. Liga.

Free Kicks

• Orlando Pride Executive Vice President Amanda Duffy will speak at the second-annual Elevate Summit focusing on empowerment and equity.

• Stars and Stripes FC featured Sydney Leroux’s 93rd-minute goal for the U.S. Women’s National Team against Canada in June 2013 as part of its daily Black History Month series.
• Former Orlando City assistant coach C.J. Brown will become the first head coach and technical director for Chicago’s future National Independent Soccer Association team.
• Barnsley FC Chief Executive Officer Dane Murphy shared how the club has embraced analytics to bring young talent such as Orlando’s Daryl Dike into the fold.
• MLS’s official match ball will have a more traditional look for the league’s 26th season.
• Neymar and Paris Saint-Germain reached an agreement on a four-year contract extension to keep him at the club through 2026.

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