Lion Links: 1/11/22

Happy Tuesday, everyone. The Major League Soccer season creeps a little bit closer tonight with the MLS SuperDraft set to take place this afternoon. With that and the goings-on in the rest of the soccer world there’s plenty to discuss, as usual. Let’s get into the links.

Orlando City’s Jarrod Dillon Discusses New Post

Jarrod Dillon is Orlando City’s new president of business operations, and he recently spoke to the Sports Business Journal about his new post with the Lions. He talked about having interest in both Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League, and how he has coached youth soccer for the last eight years. Dillon also stated that unless every game is a sellout there will always be upside and something to strive for, which are welcome words to my ears. As the club tries to grow under the new ownership of the Wilf family it’ll need to grow both on and off the field and it’s nice to see someone brought into the business side who has both experience and passion for the project.

Dom Dwyer, Leandro Gonzalez Pirez on the Move

Two names very familiar to Orlando City fans are on the move from the teams they suited up for in 2021. First up: FC Dallas acquired Dom Dwyer in a trade with Toronto FC, and then bought out his contract. Dallas got the third overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft in exchange, while Toronto received $50,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM). Dom is now a free agent and able to sign with any MLS club. Dallas essentially paid for the draft pick with GAM and whatever it cost to buy out Dwyer’s contract.

Elsewhere, Inter Miami’s Leandro Gonzalez Pirez is heading to River Plate on loan through 2023 and that includes an option for the Argentinian club to make the move permanent. LGP signed with Miami in July of 2020 and the defender made 46 regular-season appearances with the Herons. The loan move continues an off-season of mass change for Miami after getting busted for roster violations and subsequently having sanctions imposed.

One Final Mock Draft

With the MLS SuperDraft taking place later today, there’s still time for one last mock draft to try to get a sense of how things might shake out. The folks over at Top Drawer Soccer have the Lions selecting a forward with their first round pick at no. 18 — specifically Notre Dame’s Jack Lynn. The second round sees Orlando take central midfielder Jake Arteaga from Portland. The mock draft projects Charlotte FC taking Benjamin Bender with the first pick should the team hang onto it, with center back Kip Kieller going to FC Cincinnati if Charlotte selects Bender.

Current Acquire Lynn Williams

The Kansas City Current have traded for United States Women’s National Team forward Lynn Williams. Kansas City also received the North Carolina Courage’s second- and fourth-round picks in the 2023 NWSL Draft. In return, the Courage got $200,000 in allocation money from the Current along with Kansas City’s first-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft and goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland. Williams has won three NWSL championships and has 57 goals and 26 assists during the course of her NWSL career. Williams gives the Current a proven goal scorer after the team scored a paltry 15 goals during the 2021 season and finished 10th out of 10 teams.

Free Kicks

• As previously reported, Justin Meram has now officially re-signed with Real Salt Lake through the 2023 season.
• The Portland Timbers are finalizing a deal to send Diego Valeri to Argentinian club Lanus, which would be a homecoming for the Timbers’ talisman.
• Tottenham is reportedly in talks to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Adama Traore.
• Cesar Azpilicueta and Daniel Wass are reportedly at the top of Atletico Madrid’s list to replace the departed Kieran Trippier.

That does it for me today. Y’all stay safe out there.