Lion Links: 12/20/23

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been very busy working at Under Armour and Winterland at Wrigley Field while finishing up my last-minute Christmas shopping. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Head Coach Oscar Pareja to New Contract

Orlando City reached an agreement with Head Coach Oscar Pareja on a new contract through the 2025 season on Tuesday. Pareja has been with the club since late 2019 and has been the Lions’ most successful head coach since Orlando joined MLS. Pareja led the Lions to four consecutive postseason appearances and won the 2022 U.S. Open Cup. The Lions are coming off a 2023 season that included breaking club records in wins and points and finishing second in the Eastern Conference. With Pareja locked in for another two seasons in Orlando, he can now focus on getting the team ready for the 2024 season.

Lions Select Four Players in 2024 MLS SuperDraft

With the 21st overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, the Lions chose midfielder Jeorgio Kocevski out of Syracuse. Orlando City acquired the 21st pick by trading $50,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money (GAM) and $25,000 in 2025 GAM to the Colorado Rapids to secure the box-to-box midfielder. A few picks later in the same round, the Lions picked left winger Yataro Tsukada out of West Virginia. Tsukada had a solid season with the Mountaineers, recording 12 goals and nine assists. In the second round, Orlando selected midfielder Filip Mirkovic out of Pittsburgh with the 54th overall pick. Mirkovic made 75 appearances for the Panthers, scoring nine goals to go with 28 assists. The Lions concluded their 2024 MLS SuperDraft by selecting Charlotte midfielder Riyon Tori with the 25th pick in the third round (83rd overall).

Latest MLS Off-Season Moves

The LA Galaxy acquired the rights of forward Miguel Berry in exchange for the Galaxy’s natural second-round pick in the 2024 draft. The Houston Dynamo re-signed right back Griffin Dorsey to a new contract through the 2025 season, with an option in 2026. The Philadelphia Union reached an agreement with forward Chris Donovan on a new contract through the 2025 season, with options for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. The Colorado Rapids have re-signed a couple of Homegrown Players, signing defender Sebastian Anderson and midfielder Oliver Larraz through the 2024 season.

New England Revolution Name Caleb Porter as Head Coach

The New England Revolution have officially named Caleb Porter as their next head coach. Porter has previously served as the head coach of the Columbus Crew and Portland Timbers. He led the Crew to an MLS Cup Championship in 2020 and won the 2021 Campeones Cup trophy. Porter also won an MLS Cup with the Portland Timbers in 2015. The Revolution finished the 2023 season fifth in the Eastern Conference and were eliminated in the playoffs after losing to the Philadelphia Union.

Free Kicks

• Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi gave his perspective on the club’s first-round draft picks.

• In the SuperDraft, Toronto FC selected Lipscomb University forward Tyrese Spicer with the No. 1 overall pick.
• Chelsea defeated Newcastle United 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to advance to the semifinals of the Carabao Cup.
• Nottingham Forest has parted ways with its manager, Steve Cooper, and has reportedly held talks with former Wolves and Tottenham manager Nuno Espirito Santo to replace him.

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