Lion Links
Lion Links: 1/24/23
Happy Tuesday everyone. I won’t sugarcoat it, there’s a lot to get to today, and some particularly exciting items regarding Orlando City. With that being the case, let’s get straight into things.
Orlando City Transfer Rumors
There are a couple big things to note in the world of Orlando City transfer rumors. First, the Lions are reportedly close to signing Icelandic international midfielder Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. The 22-year-old currently plays as a box-to-box midfielder with Breidablik in Iceland’s top flight. He has four caps for his country and, while he primarily plays central midfield, he can also line up at wing, fullback, and even attacking midfield, and he should bring some nice versatility to Orlando’s roster.
In his tweet addressing the Thorhallsson signing, Tom Bogert also notes that a deal for forward Ramiro Enrique will be completed soon. Both guys fit the profile of a young, promising player that OCSC has begun to target with increasing regularity.
Orlando City are set to complete and seal two signings: Ramiro Enrique from Banfield andd Dagur Dan Thórhallsson, Iceland national team midfielder. 🟣✍🏻 #MLS
Official statement expected soon. pic.twitter.com/KMCFNY4p1X
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 23, 2023
Get to Know Felipe Martins
Orlando City has several new faces going into this season, and one of them is Felipe Martins, the 32-year-old midfielder who joins the Lions from Austin FC. Martins took the time to answer a few questions about how he’s settling into his new surroundings, and he also spoke about what drew him to OCSC. He cited fellow Brazilian Kaká’s time in purple as one of the reasons he was initially attracted to the club, but also highlighted both the passion of the team’s fans and the ambition that the club has in chasing trophies. We’re happy to have him, and welcome to the City Beautiful, Felipe!
MLS Transfer Happenings
There are also several pieces of transfer news to catch up on from around Major League Soccer. First up, the Colorado Rapids have signed 24-year-old Connor Ronan from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a four-year deal with an option for 2027.
Staying in the Western Conference, the Houston Dynamo have signed Amine Bassi from FC Betz in Ligue 2. The 25-year-old Moroccan joins on a two-year deal which has options for two more, and was signed using Targeted Allocation Money.
Pivoting to outgoing transfers, the LA Galaxy have sold Samuel Grandsir to Le Havre AC in Ligue 2. The transfer fee was not disclosed, and the Galaxy retain a sell-on fee for the 26-year-old winger.
Finally, Alexander Callens has departed New York City FC after six years to sign with Spanish side Girona FC. The Peruvian international will join former NYCFC forward Valentin Castellanos at the team, which currently sits 11th in La Liga.
Everton Sacks Frank Lampard
Following a period of nine defeats in the club’s last 12 games, Everton announced the firing of Frank Lampard on Monday morning. The team is 19th in the Premier League, with only goal difference keeping it off the bottom spot, and has a paltry 15 points from 20 games played. It’s far from being too late to climb out of the relegation zone, and while the team is reportedly close to bringing in a manager with Premier League experience, it’s unlikely to change the club’s fortunes in the long run, as things have now been declining for several years. Nuno Espirito Santo, Marcelo Bielsa, and Ralph Hasenhuttl are all reportedly being considered for the job.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City academy director Marcelo Neveleff has left the club to become head coach of the Dominican Republic’s national team.
- The United States Men’s National Team will reportedly play its March 27 Nations League game against El Salvador in Orlando, presumably at Exploria Stadium.
USSF planning for USMNT’s Nations League match vs El Salvador March 27 to take place in Orlando, per sources. Logistics and climate are factors. Team would train in Florida, fly to Grenada for March 24 game, back to Orlando for ES. Easy travel to/from Europe for many players.
— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) January 23, 2023
- Racing Louisville has traded for Abby Erceg and Carson Pickett, while sending Emily Fox to the North Carolina Courage.
- Former Orlando Pride goalkeeping coach Aline Reis has signed for Spanish side UDG Tenerife as a player.
- The United States Men’s National Team takes on Serbia tomorrow, so here’s a look at what the team will be up against.
- The 2023 United States Women’s National Team kit has been leaked and is reportedly a design that resembles ‘blobs of paint’.
- Chelsea and Arsenal tried to play a Women’s Super League match on a frozen field, and it went about as badly as you might think it would.
That’s all I have for today. Y’all stay safe out there.