Lion Links: 1/11/24

How’s it going, Mane Landers? We’re more than halfway through the week as January rolls on. I’ve been spending my days after work putting a gallery wall together and it has been much tougher than I initially thought. It’s been nice being able to flex some of my interior decorating skills outside of work at least. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Lions and Facundo Torres Agree to New Deal

In a decision that was reported on earlier this week, Orlando City has officially signed winger Facundo Torres to a new contract. Torres will now be under contract through 2026, with options for 2027 and 2028 as well. It’s a good move for all parties, as Torres will likely be paid a bit more as a senior Designated Player and Orlando can keep him in purple until an offer too good to refuse comes around. Torres will have plenty of opportunities to impress for Orlando this year at 23 years old. He will also be changing his jersey number from 17 to 10, which will take some getting used to for me. While this new contract isn’t the most groundbreaking move of the off-season, it’s the latest solid bit of business from the club.

Preparing for the NWSL Draft

The 2024 NWSL Draft is tomorrow night and the Orlando Pride currently have four picks, including the ninth overall pick. The draft will take place at 8 p.m., with the first two rounds televised on ION and the full draft streamed on ION Plus. Over 200 players have registered for the draft and there will be four rounds for the NWSL’s 14 teams to select players. ESPN‘s Travis Clark provided details on some of the top players to keep an eye out for tomorrow. Unless they trade the pick, the Pride should be able to add a dynamic player with that first-round pick. The Pride had a strong draft last year, selecting Emily Madril and Messiah Bright with their first two picks, so hopefully they can replicate that success this year as well.

The Washington Spirit Sign Casey Krueger

Another notable free agent has found a new team, as American defender Casey Krueger has signed a three-year deal with the Washington Spirit. Krueger heads to the nation’s capital after spending the entirety of her NWSL career with the Chicago Red Stars in her hometown. She spoke on the bittersweet feeling of leaving Chicago, Washington’s proactivity to help her balance playing with parenting, and her experience as a free agent for the first time. It will be interesting to see how Krueger does with the Spirit, especially once Jonatan Giraldez takes over as head coach following Barcelona’s season.

Keeping Up With Former Orlando Pride Players

It’s that time of the year when soccer news is flying fast and furious all over the world. While hectic, it’s nice to be able to see what former Orlando Pride players are up to since leaving the City Beautiful. Midfielder Emily van Egmond, who was traded to the San Diego Wave in early 2022, will be staying in San Diego a while longer after signing a new contract through the 2025 season. Dani Weatherholt is on the move though, as she won’t be returning to Angel City FC after two seasons.

Former Pride and USWNT defender Ali Krieger announced that she will be a studio analyst for CBS Sports. Krieger retired after helping NJ/NY Gotham FC win the NWSL Championship this past season, and will help cover the upcoming Concacaf W Gold Cup. Thais Reiss, whose contract option was declined by the Pride following this past season, is taking her talents abroad to play for Villarreal.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

A number of MLS moves that have been reported on this month became official. American forward Brandon Vazquez is heading to Liga MX, with FC Cincinnati transferring him to Monterrey for a reported fee of $7.5 million. FC Dallas bolstered its defense by signing veteran center back Omar Gonzalez to a contract through 2024, with an option for 2025 as well. D.C. United also officially named Troy Lesesne as its next head coach. The former New York Red Bulls coach signed a three-year deal with D.C.

As for some new news, the LA Galaxy have reportedly agreed to pay a club-record $10 million fee to sign midfielder Gabriel Pec from Brazilian club Vasco da Gama. The Colorado Rapids continued their wheeling and dealing by trading away a second-round pick in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft, an international roster spot, and a conditional $100,000 in General Allocation Money for versatile player Jasper Löffelsend. Real Salt Lake is also reportedly set to sign 17-year-old Fidel Barajas from the Charleston Battery.

Free Kicks

• Gotham FC hired Pierre Soubrier, who is Crystal Dunn’s husband and is currently serving a year-long suspension for administering medication that contained codeine during his time as an athletic trainer with the Portland Thorns.

• Real Madrid is reportedly interested in signing Canadian left back Alphonso Davies this summer. The 23-year-old’s contract with Bayern Munich is currently set to end in 2025.
• Liverpool loaned winger Fabio Carvalho to Hull City for the remainder of the season. Hull is seventh in the EFL Championship and Carvalho could help the team reach the playoffs for a chance at promotion.
• Antoine Griezmann scored his 174th goal for Atletico Madrid, becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer.
• Here’s a nice breakdown of what to expect in this year’s Asian Cup, which kicks off in Qatar tomorrow. Japan is the favorite to win, but it should be a fairly competitive tournament with plenty of talented players involved.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!