Lion Links: 7/4/23

Happy Fourth of July, everyone! Not only is it a holiday, but Orlando City plays Toronto FC tonight, and it’s also Orlando City B midfielder Moises Tablante’s birthday! Suffice it to say, there’s a lot going on, and there’s plenty to discuss today. Let’s get into the links.

Facundo Torres Makes MLS Team of the Matchday

Facundo Torres has been rewarded for his starring role in Orlando City’s 3-1 win over the Chicago Fire on Saturday, with a place in the starting lineup of the most recent MLS Team of the Matchday. Torres scored two goals to help douse the Fire and put three of his six shots on target. He also completed two dribbles, had two key passes while passing with 85% accuracy. His performance was enough to earn the Man of the Match honors from Ryan Smith, and it’s nice to see him getting some more widespread love as well. Torres is in a great run of form over the last few games, so here’s hoping that it continues.

Rafaelle Souza Joins the Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride signed Brazilian defender Rafaelle to a contract through the 2025 season. Rafaelle has played the past two seasons with Arsenal in the Women’s Super League and should improve a Pride defense that has conceded 21 goals in 14 matches. She reunites with Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Haley Carter, who was Rafaelle’s teammate in 2014 with the Houston Dash. Rafaelle will join the Pride following the World Cup and is representing Brazil alongside the Pride’s Marta and Adriana. It will be interesting to see how Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines shifts the back line to get her involved.

Orlando Pride Linked with Tatiana Pinto

The Orlando Pride are rumored to be one of the team’s interested in pursuing Portuguese midfielder Tatiana Pinto. The 29-year-old is currently playing for Levante with previous stops at Sporting CP and Bristol City. She’s made 100 appearances for Portugal, scoring five international goals and will also be on the team for the upcoming World Cup. It’s important to note that other teams said to be interested include Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, and Brighton, so there is plenty of competition to sign Pinto.

Christian Pulisic Favors Move to Milan

While Lyon has submitted an offer to Chelsea for Christian Pulisic, reports have emerged that he will turn down the French team in favor of a move to AC Milan. Pulisic reportedly sees Milan as the better move for him, as he’d be playing in the Champions League, something Lyon cannot offer him. He’s said to have already agreed to personal terms with Milan last week, although the Italian club’s reported opening bid was turned down. Further tilting the scales in Milan’s favor is the fact that Lyon is reportedly unable to match the wages that it would be able to offer the United States Men’s National Team player.

Steven Gerrard Takes Al Ettifaq Job

Having previously said he would not be taking the role, Steven Gerrard has reportedly popped a U-turn and will take the head coaching position at Al Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League. Back in June, Gerrard had acknowledged an approach from Saudi Arabia but had said he wouldn’t be taking the position. He’ll now be joining the team that finished seventh in the league last season, and a distant 30 points off Al Nassr in the AFC Champions League qualifying spot. However, he’ll reportedly be given a massive transfer budget to work with, so don’t be surprised if you see a number of big names joining in an effort to help drive the club up the table.

Derby County Women’s Team Joins Main Club

Derby County’s women’s team has formally joined the main club of Derby County. Previously, the women’s side was a separate entity from the rest of the club, but that’s no longer the case and that includes the talent pipeline as well. The youth teams from the U-10 squad all the way up to the U-20 team have been incorporated into the Derby County Community Trust. The women’s team also has its own dedicated training center at Moor Farm Training Ground, where the club has done its training for years.

Free Kicks

• Pride tickets are at a great price for the team’s 70s night this Friday.

• Nani trained with his former team in the City Beautiful while on vacation.

• Manchester City is reportedly readying a bid for RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.
• Arsenal is said to be closing in on signing Ajax defender Jurrien Timber.
• Goalkeeper Hedvig Lindhal has left Swedish club Djurgarden after a number of spats on Twitter with fans.

That’s all I have for you today. Stay safe and enjoy the holiday!