Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/8/22
How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope you are all doing well as we get all set for a weekend filled with soccer in Orlando. If you’re looking for a new show to watch, I highly recommend The Bear on Hulu. It’s hectic, intense, and has enough moments of triumph to make you want to watch it all over again. If you check it out, let me know what you think. But for now, let’s get to today’s links from around the soccer world.
Lions Get Ready for Inter Miami
Orlando City is set to take on Inter Miami Saturday night at Exploria Stadium as part of MLS’s Rivalry Week. While this is the first regular-season meeting between the two Eastern Conference teams this season, they faced off in the U.S. Open Cup in Orlando on May 25. In that match, Facundo Torres gave the Lions an equalizer in extra time and Orlando was able to win the penalty shootout following the 1-1 draw.
Torres, Ercan Kara, and Mauricio Pereyra have 27 goal contributions this season, the most of any group of Designated Players in MLS. Of course, take that with a grain of salt as they’ve also played more minutes than any other team’s Designated Players and not all teams have the full three slots filled. Still, it’s nice to see they can score together and four of Torres’ six assists this year come from goals by Kara. Pereyra is two assists away from setting a single-season club record and was a full participant in training Thursday, despite an injury scare Monday night against D.C. United.
Look who's out here 👀
Mauricio Pereyra is back at #OrlandoCity training in full capacity after leaving Monday's game. pic.twitter.com/6do1ADr9hI
— Austin David (@AustinDavid22) July 7, 2022
Orlando Pride Host the Houston Dash Tonight
The Orlando Pride will welcome the Houston Dash to Exploria Stadium for a match tonight at 7 p.m. It’s been a rough season for the Pride as they sit in 11th, but they battled back for a 2-2 draw against Racing Louisville in Daytona last weekend. Tonight’s match will be their first at Exploria Stadium since May and they are still on the hunt for their first home win of 2022. Meanwhile, the Dash are fifth in the standings and are coming off of a 2-1 loss at home to the Kansas City Current. The last time these two teams met was on June 3, when the Dash hosted the Pride and won 5-0. The Dash will be without several players due to international tournaments, but forward Ebony Salmon is now with the Dash after a trade from Louisville.
USWNT Qualifies for 2023 World Cup After Win
The United States Women’s National Team won 5-0 against Jamaica in the group stage of the Concacaf W Championship. With the result, along with Mexico’s 3-0 loss to Haiti, the USWNT booked its spot in the semifinals and qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Sophia Smith had a brace within the first 10 minutes to give the USWNT an early lead and goals in the second half put the game out of Jamaica’s reach. USWNT Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski opted for a different lineup than the first match, with former Pride player Alex Morgan on the bench. Speaking of former Pride forwards, Taylor Kornieck came off the bench in the second half for her first appearance of the tournament. The USWNT will take on Mexico on Monday in the final group stage match before the semifinals.
Sergio Santos May Be Headed to Ohio
Reports surfaced that a trade is in the works for Philadelphia Union forward Sergio Santos to head to FC Cincinnati in exchange for a windfall of General Allocation Money. The reported amount is a bit eye-watering, as $300,000 in GAM would be received up front with another $700,000 in GAM tied to incentives.
Sources can confirm Pat's scoop: FC Cincinnati closing in on trade for Sergio Santos from the Philadelphia Union.
Sources add Philadelphia will receive $300k GAM up front plus another $700k GAM incentives from Cincy for Santos. https://t.co/NsZFsLz6xZ pic.twitter.com/Ifkhe4A88l
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) July 7, 2022
Santos would join a Cincy offense that is finding its footing thanks to Brenner, Brandon Vazquez, and Luciano Acosta. That much GAM would be hard for the Union to turn down for a player who has had to deal with injuries throughout his career.
MLS Debutants Add Intrigue to Rivalry Week
With the secondary transfer window now open, plenty of players will play their first games with their new teams during MLS Rivalry Week this weekend. Alejandro Pozuelo was officially traded from Toronto FC to Inter Miami and the former MLS MVP could make an immediate impact tomorrow against Orlando, so long as his visa is processed in time. El Trafico will take place tonight as LAFC hosts the LA Galaxy. Gareth Bale isn’t expected to play, but Italian center back Giorgio Chiellini may make his MLS debut. Mexican midfielder Hector Herrera is expected to play for the Houston Dynamo tomorrow night and FC Dallas Head Coach Nico Estevez spoke about how motivated his side is for the rivalry match.
Free Kicks
- Angel City FC officially signed former Pride player Claire Emslie, who was selected in the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft. Emslie joins plenty of other former Pride players as Sydney Leroux, Ali Riley, Jasmyne Spencer, and Dani Weatherholt are all with ACFC.
- The San Jose Earthquakes transferred defender Francisco Calvo to Turkish club Konyaspor.
- Nashville SC midfielder Sean Davis won MLS Goal of the Week for his curler from distance against the Portland Timbers.
A screamer from @seanakiradavis! ☄️#ATTGotW winner https://t.co/RuDwgmRaDq pic.twitter.com/2lV2OM6HiP
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 7, 2022
- Luca de la Torre could be the latest American midfielder on the move as he is reportedly set to join Celta Vigo. If this happens, he would join Sergino Dest, Yunus Musah, and Matthew Hoppe as Americans playing in La Liga.
- Norway won 4-1 against Northern Ireland in the women’s European Championship. Ada Hegerberg had an assist but didn’t score, proving that the Norwegians won’t have to necessarily rely on her to provide all of the offense.
- Alcohol won’t be available in the stadiums for this year’s World Cup in Qatar. However, alcohol will be served at restricted times outside of the stadiums for fans to enjoy.
- We’ll end our links with this fantastic goal from Everaldo Stum over in Japan.
A goal that has to be seen to be believed.
Everaldo Stum's unbelievable 89th-minute bicycle kick from a ridiculous angle earned @atlrs_english a point in a six-goal thriller with @crz_english in the 🇯🇵 @J_League_En earlier tonight! pic.twitter.com/8llxD0SPje
— ESPN Asia (@ESPNAsia) July 6, 2022
That’s all I have for you for now. I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and rest of your weekend. Go Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/24/24
MLS transfer roundup, Americans in midweek action, NWSL news galore, and more.
Happy Tuesday and merry Christmas Eve, everyone! I hope you’re all having a good start to your week and have some fun stuff planned for the upcoming holidays.
Before we get started with today’s links, we here at The Mane Land want to give a special shout out to Joe (a.k.a. fldatadude) for signing up for a Homegrown Player-level membership on our Buy Me a Coffee page. By signing up at one of our three levels of support, our readers and podcast listeners can enjoy added benefits in addition to keeping our bills paid so we can continue doing what we do.
Now we do have plenty of items to get to today, so let’s get into today’s news.
MLS Transfer News Roundup
There are a number of MLS teams who have been busy at work in the transfer market, so let’s break down the recent moves. LAFC signed free agent forward Jeremy Ebobisse to a three-year deal with an additional option year, further strengthening an already strong squad. The Portland Timbers also got some business done via free agency, as they signed winger Ariel Lassiter. FC Dallas has signed forward Anderson Julio from Real Salt Lake, with defender Sam Junqua and up to $500,000 in General Allocation Money going to RSL in exchange. Finally, Lorenzo Insigne has teased on his Instagram that he will play another season for Toronto FC in 2025.
Americans in Midweek Action
There are a number of Americans playing this week, so get everything marked down and enjoy some festive footy. Thursday’s Boxing Day slate features Americans heavily, with Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace traveling to take on Tyler Adams and Bournemouth in Premier League play. Antonee Robinson and Fulham will play Chelsea that same day, while Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United face an unenviable trip to Stoke City to round things off on Thursday.
Keeping Up With NWSL Happenings
There are several pieces of National Women’s Soccer League news to cover, so why not do it all in one place? We start with the San Diego Wave, which have reportedly hired Jonas Eidevall as their new head coach. The Swede most recently spent time coaching Arsenal and has reportedly been the Wave’s top choice for several weeks now. We now move to the realm of fact, where Angel City FC has signed midfielder Macey Hodge to a two-year deal with an option for the 2027 season. Finally, expansion team BOS Nation FC agreed a lease with Boston Public Schools and the City of Boston that will allow the team to use White Stadium as its home ground starting in 2026.
European Transfer Rumor Mill
Europe’s club teams can’t do business quite yet, but rumors are flying thick and fast with January just around the corner. First up, Manchester United is said to be exploring a deal to sign Victor Osimhen in January, particularly with Marcus Rashford indicating that he wants out of the club. Staying in the Premier League, Christopher Nkunku’s agent has reportedly offered the forward’s services to Barcelona, as the forward hasn’t been starting for the Blues and wants a larger role. Finally, Bayern Munich is said to be closely monitoring Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, which would add him to a long list of Dortmund players snapped up by the Bundesliga giants.
Free Kicks
- Christian Pulisic sees the funny side when people refer to him as the “LeBron James of soccer”.
- FIFPRO has accused FIFA of failing to reach consensus and is against FIFA’s temporary transfer changes following the judgement in Lassana Diarra’s case.
- At a time when more and more emphasis is being placed on dead ball situations, explore what goes into making a good set piece.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a very merry Christmas Eve!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/23/24
Orlando City sells Facundo Torres to Palmeiras, Lions draft four players, latest MLS transfer moves, and more.
Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. My weekend has been busy working at Under Armour, with Christmas just two days away. I also covered high school hockey and went to a Chicago Bulls game. Besides that, I finally got all my Christmas shopping done. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Orlando City Announces Facundo Torres Transfer to Palmeiras
Orlando City announced on Friday that forward Facundo Torres has been sold to Palmeiras for a club-record fee. Torres leaves Orlando as the Lions all-time goal-scoring leader. He had 123 appearances across all competitions, scored 47 goals, and added 25 assists in three seasons in Orlando. Torres made a big impact as a Lion, helping the club reach the playoffs the last three years and winning the 2022 U.S. Open Cup title.
The Lions will have an open Designated Player spot to fill during the off-season. Their home opener against the Philadelphia Union is less than two months away.
Lions Select Four Players in 2025 MLS SuperDraft
The Lions made four selections during the 2025 MLS SuperDraft on Friday. With the 27th overall pick, they chose midfielder Joran Gerbet out of Clemson. Gerbet had a solid collegiate career, recording 12 goals and 15 assists, and he led Clemson to the 2023 National Championship title as well. In the second round, the Lions added another Clemson Tiger by selecting center back Titus Sandy, Jr. with the 46th overall pick. Sandy played in 48 matches, logging 2,520 minutes, and was also part of the 2023 National Championship team. Later in the same round, the Lions picked forward Collins Oduro out of Indiana. Oduro made 44 appearances for the Hoosiers, scoring eight goals to go with seven assists. The Lions concluded their 2025 MLS SuperDraft by selecting Marshall defender Takahiro Fujita in the third round with the 87th overall pick. MLSSoccer.com unveiled its draft grades for each club, and Orlando City received an A- as its grade.
NJ/NY Gotham FC Trades Lynn Williams to the Seattle Reign
We had a trade that went down in the National Women’s Soccer League as NJ/NY Gotham FC traded forward Lynn Williams and goalkeeper Cassie Miller to the Seattle Reign. In exchange, the Seattle Reign acquired midfielder Jaelin Howell, an international roster slot, and $70,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM). Williams spent two seasons with Gotham FC, recording 17 goals and seven assists. She made 75 appearances for the U.S. Women’s National Team and was part of the squad that won a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Miller began the 2024 NWSL season as the number one goalkeeper for Gotham but was moved to a backup role once the club acquired Ann-Katrin Berger. Howell made eight appearances for the Reign this season after being acquired from Racing Louisville FC in August.
Latest Transfer Moves in MLS
We have some MLS transfer news to catch you up on from over the weekend. Real Salt Lake acquired forward Elias Manoel and four MLS SuperDraft picks from the New York Red Bulls in exchange for $700,000 in GAM. The Red Bulls maintain a sell-on percentage for Manoel as well. Atlanta United also made a trade, acquiring midfielder Mateusz Klich from D.C. United in exchange for Atlanta’s first round 2025 MLS SuperDraft Pick and up to $50,000 in conditional GAM if Atlanta re-signs Klich. The New England Revolution signed goalkeeper Alex Bono to a contract through the 2026 season. Bono spent the previous two seasons with D.C. United. The Revolution also added defender Tanner Beason, who previously played five seasons with the San Jose Earthquakes. Beason’s deal is through the 2026 season, with an option for 2027.
Premier League Weekend Roundup
We had plenty of action in the Premier League over the weekend. Manchester City fell 2-1 to Aston Villa on Saturday and has lost nine out of its last 12 matches across all competitions. Arsenal cruised past Crystal Palace 5-1, Newcastle United defeated Ipswich Town 4-0 with Alexander Isak getting a hat trick, and Nottingham Forest won 2-0 against Brentford. West Ham United and Brighton fought to a 1-1 draw. On Sunday, Manchester United lost 3-0 at home to Bournemouth. Liverpool defeated Tottenham Hotspur 6-3, with Mohamed Salah scoring twice. Vitor Pereira won his first match as Wolverhampton’s manager, as his side beat Leicester City 3-0. The Everton and Chelsea and Fulham and Southampton matches ended in a scoreless draw.
Free Kicks
- In an interview with Fast Company, former Orlando Pride player Alex Morgan gave insight into her next chapter since retiring from pro soccer. Morgan discussed how she’s navigating through her post-playing career, investing in other sports, and continuing to support current and future generations of female athletes.
- Atlanta United named Ronny Deila as its next head coach. Deila previously coached Standard Liege, New York City FC, Celtic, and Club Brugge.
- FIFA and Netflix signed an agreement for exclusive broadcast rights in the United States for the 2027 and 2031 editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
- In another coaching move, USL Championship side Sacramento Republic FC announced former Tampa Bay Rowdies head coach Neill Collins as its next head coach after activating his release clause at Raith Rovers.
- Weston McKennie scored a goal in the first half to help Juventus snap its run of four consecutive draws in league play with a 2-1 win against Monza on Sunday.
- Jesus Navas played his final match for Sevilla as his side lost 4-2 to Real Madrid on Sunday. Navas will retire from professional soccer after his contract ends this month after a stellar 21-year career.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/20/24
Orlando City’s 2025 MLS season schedule announced, MLS mock drafts, MLS clubs making moves, and more.
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
- Concacaf announced that Saudi Arabia was invited as a guest nation for both the 2025 and 2027 Concacaf Gold Cup.
- The Kansas City Current bid farewell to goalkeepers Adrianna France and Almuth Schult. The club then announced that it signed goalkeeper Laurel Ivory to a one-year contract.
- 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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