Lion Links
Lion Links: 8/15/24
Duncan McGuire will reportedly sign new contract, Lions near deal for Heine Gikling Bruseth, Grace Chanda out for the season, and more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve spent most of my week so far reading after going a bit overboard at a book sale near me. It’s been a nice way to spend the wait before Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are back in action. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City defender Thomas Williams!
Duncan McGuire Will Reportedly Sign New OCSC Contract
An agreement has reportedly been reached between Orlando City and forward Duncan McGuire for him to sign a new contract that will last through 2027, with an option for 2028. The Lions have been trying to secure McGuire’s signature throughout the year, and McGuire endured a whirlwind of a transfer saga in February involving a failed loan to Blackburn Rovers. McGuire scored 13 goals as a rookie last season and has seven to his name so far this season. He didn’t exactly turn heads at the Olympics this summer, but he can finish the year strongly with the Lions.
Lions Near Deal for Heine Gikling Bruseth
Orlando City is reportedly close to signing Norwegian midfielder Heine Gikling Bruseth from Kristiansund BK in Norway’s top flight for a $1 million transfer fee. The 20-year-old would join the Lions as an MLS U22 Initiative player if the move comes to fruition. The talks between the two clubs were reported on earlier this month but reportedly broke down for a bit due to the fee. I’m interested to see what role the young midfielder would have with the team this year should he become a Lion.
Pride’s Grace Chanda Out for the Season
Zambian midfielder Grace Chanda won’t be making her Orlando Pride debut this year after being placed on the season-ending list due to a ruptured quadriceps tendon sustained while at the Olympics. It’s tough news for Chanda, who missed out on last year’s World Cup and most of Real Madrid’s season due to an illness. Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Haley Carter did not mince words in detailing how Zambia’s mismanagement contributed to Chanda’s injury.
Chanda’s contract with the Pride lasts through 2025 and hopefully she has a smooth healing process. The Pride will now have to hold onto the top spot in the league without their big summer signing while other teams have spent this break in the season upgrading their rosters.
Chicago Fire and Xherdan Shaqiri Part Ways
Swiss midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri’s time with the Chicago Fire has come to an end, with the two sides agreeing to terminate his contract. In 75 appearances across all competitions since joining in 2022, Shaqiri recorded 16 goals and 20 assists. Chicago is currently 14th in the Eastern Conference and Shaqiri has not played for the club since May. The 32-year-old is now a free agent after an underwhelming spell in MLS, while the Fire will have an open Designated Player spot to help turn things around in 2025.
Free Kicks
- Orlando will host one of five Talent ID Events announced by MLS NEXT to give players outside of MLS NEXT a platform to show their skills. The first event is on Wednesday in Denver, and the last event will be in Orlando on Nov. 15.
- Real Salt Lake added Polish winger Dominik Marczuk as an MLS U22 Initiative player. The 20-year-old heads to MLS with 128 professional appearances already under his belt.
- The Fire traded away $75,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money to CF Montreal in exchange for Costa Rican forward Ariel Lassiter.
- Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes signed a contract extension with Manchester United that will keep him at the club through 2027, with an option for 2028 as well.
- Kylian Mbappe scored in his Real Madrid debut to help the Spanish club beat Atalanta to win the European Super Cup, which pits the most recent winners of the Champions League and Europa League against each other.
- The English Premier League has a plan in place to make video review more effective by making the threshold for VAR intervention higher and improving clarity on decisions.
- Mounir Nasraoui, the father of 17-year-old Barcelona player Lamine Yamal, has reportedly been hospitalized after being stabbed multiple times. He’s in stable condition and Barcelona police are investigating the incident.
That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 1/14/25
Orlando City begins preseason, Orlando Pride sign defender Zara Chavoshi, MLS transfer roundup, and more.
Happy Tuesday, everyone! It’s been a busy few days for me and sadly I won’t be getting much of a break as my work schedule continues to be packed this week. As is always the case, we have plenty of things to talk through this morning, so let’s jump into today’s links.
Orlando City Opens Preseason
It seems like the 2024 season just came to a close, but Orlando City had its first day of preseason training on Monday. The Lions didn’t quite have everyone in attendance, as Shak Mohammed, Jack Lynn, and Ivan Angulo were not present, while Duncan McGuire and Mason Stajduhar trained off to the side. It was a good first day back though, as the team got its first taste of life without Facundo Torres. One of the big talking points of this preseason will be how the team replaces Facu, with the upcoming preseason games set to evaluate where the team stands.
Orlando Pride Sign Zara Chavoshi
The Orlando Pride announced Monday that the team has signed defender Zara Chavoshi to a one-year contract. The 22-year-old spent the last four years with Wake Forest, where she played both center back and right back for the Demon Deacons. She helped the team advance to the championship of the NCAA College Cup, where the team fell to North Carolina. While she may not play too much during the 2025 season, this is a signing that should provide solid defensive depth while the team evaluates whether or not to award her a longer deal in the future.
MLS Transfer Roundup
Monday saw a slew of MLS teams not named Orlando City making transfer moves, and that means we have a lot to catch up on. We start with confirmation that the San Jose Earthquakes have signed Josef Martinez. Sporting Kansas City decided to continue the trend of signing forwards, as it announced the acquisition of free agent striker Mason Toye, who most recently played for the Portland Timbers. San Diego FC has signed midfielder Onni Valakari on loan from Pafos FC of the Cypriot first division. LAFC has announced the signing of midfielder Odin Thiago Holm on loan from Celtic. Finally, Toronto FC has sold winger Thiago Andrade to Cerezo Osaka of the J1 League.
Americans in Midweek Action
There are a ton of American players who will be taking part in games this week, and there are some good matchups to look forward to. Things get going today as Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah and AC Milan face Como in Serie A play, while Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus travel to take on a strong Atalanta side. Tomorrow has Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace taking on Leicester City in the Premier League, while Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis have a tough Copa del Rey test against Barcelona. Luca de la Torre and Celta Vigo will then have a similarly tough task on Thursday when they face Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey. Things wrap up on Friday when Gio Reyna, Cole Campbell, and Borussia Dortmund hit the road to play Nathaniel Brown and Eintracht Frankfurt in Bundesliga play.
Philadelphia Union Hit with Transfer Ban
The Philadelphia Union are currently on FIFA’s transfer ban list (paywall) handed down from FIFA — with the club currently unable to register new players for the next three transfer windows. The issue is reportedly linked to the 2022 signing of Venezuelan striker Jose Riasco. The Union owed $700 to Mineros de Guayana — Riasco’s boyhood club, as part of the sell-on percentage it was owed due to developing him. The Union had a difficult time finding a way to pay the club, and the missing money was reported to FIFA. While the Union have been trying to get the issue cleared up since December, they are not the only team dealing with a ban, so it’s uncertain how long it will take to resolve.
Free Kicks
- Check out some of the views from Orlando City’s first day of preseason training.
- MLS has reportedly instituted a cash-based internal trade system which will start immediately.
- Casey Stoney has been named the new head coach of the Canadian women’s national team.
- Kai Havertz’s wife has shared abusive messages she received on social media after Arsenal lost to Manchester United in the FA Cup.
That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 1/13/25
Orlando City preseason training starts today, Jaedyn Shaw reportedly set to join the North Carolina Courage, MLS transfer news, and more.
Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. It’s just been another busy week for me working at Under Armour, and I covered some high school basketball. Later this week, I’ll be working at the Chicago Cubs Convention. Let’s all wish Orlando City goalkeeper coach Cesar Baena a happy birthday, and also a happy belated birthday to Orlando City forward Jack Lynn, who turned 25 on Sunday. There’s plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Orlando City Preseason Training Camp Starts Today
Orlando City players completed their medicals over the weekend to get ready to kick off their 2025 preseason camp.
Robin Jansson and Ramiro Enrique discussed the benefit of working with Orlando Health and the team’s athletic trainers and medical staff to ensure the players are fit and ready to play. The Lions also had their sports science and performance testing on Sunday.
Jaedyn Shaw Will Reportedly Join the North Carolina Courage
The San Diego Wave are reportedly trading forward Jaedyn Shaw to the North Carolina Courage for an undisclosed amount of Allocation Money. Shaw had reportedly been seeking a trade from the Wave for the past year. For the Courage, this move would bolster their attack after they only scored 34 goals last season. Shaw spent three seasons in San Diego, recording 14 goals in 61 appearances across all competitions. She has also made 21 appearances for the United States Women’s National Team, scoring eight goals, and was part of the squad that won a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
MLS Transfer Roundup
Major League Soccer had another busy weekend with some notable transfer moves. The San Jose Earthquakes acquired forward Cristian Arango from Real Salt Lake in exchange for $700,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM), $700,000 in 2026 GAM, and a 2026 international roster slot. Arango will be a Designated Player in San Jose. The Quakes appear not to be done yet, as the club is reportedly close to a deal to add forward Josef Martinez.
The Seattle Sounders have re-signed midfielder Joao Paulo through 2025, with an option for the 2026 season. Lastly, Atlanta United has reportedly submitted a bid to EFL Championship side Middlesbrough for forward Emmanuel Latte Lath.
English FA Cup Weekend Recap
The third round of the FA Cup continued over the weekend in England with some notable results and plenty of drama. On Sunday, Tottenham Hotspur needed to go to extra time to defeat National League side Tamworth 3-0. Despite playing the second half with 10 men, Manchester United defeated Arsenal 5-3 on penalties following a thrilling 1-1 draw. Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir stopped a penalty in the second half and made a clutch save on Arsenal’s Kai Havertz in the penalty shootout, while Joshua Zirkzee scored the winning penalty for Manchester United to advance.
On Saturday, Liverpool shut out Accrington Stanley 4-0, Manchester City defeated Salford City 8-0, and Wolverhampton edged Bristol City 2-1. We did get one upset, as Plymouth Argyle defeated Brentford 1-0.
The draw results for the fourth round were announced and there are some intriguing matchups. Manchester United faces Leicester City, Plymouth Argyle hosts Liverpool, and Aston Villa takes on Tottenham.
Free Kicks
- Former Orlando Pride defender Ali Riley lost her home in the Los Angeles wildfires. We here at The Mane Land extend our thoughts and best wishes to all those affected by the wildfires in Southern California.
- Former Orlando Pride goalkeeper Carly Nelson spoke up about her experience dealing with physical and emotional abuse with the Utah Royals on social media .
- The USWNT’s January training camp has been moved to Florida due to the Los Angeles wildfires. The USWNT will train at Inter Miami’s Florida Blue Training Center in Ft. Lauderdale.
- Forward Matthew Hoppe and Middlesbrough have reached a mutual agreement to terminate his contract, and he will leave the club as a free agent.
- Toronto FC named Robin Fraser as its next head coach. Fraser was previously the head coach for the Colorado Rapids and returns to Toronto after serving as an assistant coach under Greg Vanney from 2015 through 2019.
- After informing the club he wants to leave, Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has reportedly been linked to a move to Italy as AC Milan has expressed interest.
- Everton named David Moyes as its new manager over the weekend. Moyes returns to his former club for a second stint as manager. Everton is 16th in the Premier League, just one point above the relegation zone.
- Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 5-2 to win the Spanish Super Cup.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 1/10/25
Orlando City reportedly nears signing Nicolas Rodriguez, Orlando Pride re-sign Marta, Americans abroad this weekend, and more.
Happy Friday! I’m already pretty much over this cold weather. While it was a nice change of pace, I’ve never been a huge fan of shivering in my car while waiting for the heat to get going. Thankfully, it looks like some warmer weather is coming this weekend before temperatures dip again next week. But enough about the weather, let’s get to today’s links!
Orlando City Linked With Nicolas Rodriguez
According to Fabrizio Romano, Orlando City is close to signing Colombian winger Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza in Colombia’s top flight.
The 20-year-old would bring the club some needed attacking power and Orlando has open U22 Initiative slots to make it happen. The Lions have yet to make much noise this off-season beyond transferring Facundo Torres to Palmeiras, so hopefully signing Rodriguez kicks off the excitement ahead of the 2025 season. Another report has the transfer fee coming in around $2 million, with Fortaleza keeping a 30% sell-on fee if he’s sold in the future.
Marta Re-Signs With the Orlando Pride
The Orlando Pride have re-signed Marta to a new contract that will keep her in the City Beautiful through 2026. Whether or not Marta would return was the biggest question mark surrounding the club after her contract expired following a historic season that included winning both the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship. Marta is one of the best attacking midfielders in the league and was a finalist for both the NWSL MVP and NWSL Midfielder of the Year awards last year. Enjoy how Marta revealed the big news through the club’s social media. She definitely had me in the first half.
Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad
Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath had a stellar game in Cardiff City’s 1-0 win over Sheffield United in the FA Cup, making seven saves in the shutout. It was his first start for the club since August and he could get the nod in Cardiff’s next FA Cup match in February. Lindsey Horan had an assist in Lyon’s 2-0 road win over Dijon, while Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty started in Celtic’s 2-0 win against Dundee United.
As for upcoming action, Joe Scally will have a chance to impress when Borussia Mönchengladbach hosts Bayern Munich on Saturday. Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, Giovanni Reyna and Borussia Dortmund will take on Bayer Leverkusen today. Serie A should feature the usual suspects on Saturday, with Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan playing Cagliari and Tim Weah, Weston McKennie, and Juventus facing off against Torino. We also might get to see Matt Turner in goal when Crystal Palace plays Stockport County in the FA Cup.
FA Cup Third Round Storylines
There’s plenty of more FA Cup soccer all over England this weekend to check out. While we were robbed from seeing Ashley Young and his son Tyler Young play against each other in Everton’s 2-0 win against Peterborough United, there are still many storylines in the third round. The heavyweight matchup is between Arsenal and Manchester United on Sunday. While it may be too much to say some of the English Premier League’s bigger clubs are on upset alert this weekend, Tottenham’s road game against Tamworth and Liverpool’s match with Accrington Stanley could prove interesting. Manchester City is set to take on a Salford City side owned by several former Manchester United players as well.
Free Kicks
- Former Orlando City Academy player Charles Ahl was signed by the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. He was named 2024 Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year after a fantastic season with Stetson University.
- The Columbus Crew signed goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen to a contract extension. He started in the club’s 3-1 win over LAFC in the Leagues Cup final and will remain part of an impressive Crew goalkeeping unit that also includes Patrick Schulte and Evan Bush.
- Nashville SC waived midfielder Randall Leal and also goalkeeper Elliot Panicco as the team prepares for its first season with B.J. Callaghan as head coach.
- Minnesota United re-signed midfielder Wil Trapp to a one-year deal with an option for 2026 as well.
- FC Dallas added a whopping six Homegrown Players to its roster and the club leads the league with 43 Homegrown signings in its history.
- Liga MX informed Toluca that Hector Herrera must serve the three-game ban he received for spitting at a referee in the MLS playoffs.
- MLS apologized for falsely confirming that Atlanta United signed Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi as a Designated Player.
- Kathryn Nesbitt and Guido Gonzales Jr. were voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female and Male Referees of the Year.
- Jesse Marsch spoke on how Canada could not hold a January camp this year due to its financial situation. I guess they weren’t able to sell all of those drones in a yard sale.
- Everton fired Sean Dyche before its FA Cup win and David Moyes is reportedly set to replace him.
That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!
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