Lion Links: 12/23/25

Good morning, everyone. It seems insane that Christmas is so close and New Year’s is right around the corner, but somehow this is precisely where we are. If you’re traveling for the holidays, I hope that you reach your destination safely, and if you’re hosting, I hope your houseguests don’t drive you to insanity too quickly. We’ve got plenty of things to discuss this morning, so let’s get right into it.

MLS Transfer Roundup

Transfers are flying thick and fast in Major League Soccer, so let’s catch up with what’s happened lately. The Portland Timbers announced on Monday that the team has signed defender Brandon Bye in free agency, with the former New York Revolution player through 2027 with an option for the 2027-2028 season. New York City FC has announced the signing of two Homegrown Players, with defender Kamran Acito now under contract through the 2026 season, and midfielder Cooper Flax under contract for the same length of time. D.C. United has signed defender Sean Nealis from the New York Red Bulls in exchange for $350,000 in General Allocation Money. Finally, CF Montreal and forward Matias Coccaro have mutually terminated the player’s contract.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are several American players who will be playing games during the holiday week, and things started well on Monday as Antonee Robinson went the full 90 minutes in Fulham’s 1-0 league win over Nottingham Forest. Wednesday will be a big game for Chris Richards and Crystal Palace, as they travel to play Arsenal in the quarterfinals of the Carabao Cup. Things then wrap up on Friday when Haji Wright and Coventry City play Swansea in Championship action, while Josh Sargent and Norwich City will play Charlton Athletic.

FIFA Testing New Technology

FIFA is testing a couple new pieces of technology that will help determine accurate calls are made by officials. One piece of tech can determine whether or not the ball has gone out of bounds prior to a goal being scored, similar to the goal-line technology that has become widely spread in the modern game. The other technology deals with improvements to the virtual offside system, and seeks to speed up line-of-sight calls while also increasing the accuracy of said calls. The two technologies were tested in several Intercontinental Cup matches that took place in Qatar this month.

WoSo Transfer Happenings

Transfer business is far from exclusive to the men’s game, and that means we have some WoSo transfer dealings that we need to take a look at. Former Orlando Pride defender Carson Pickett has signed a two-year contract with Denver Summit FC that runs through 2027. The Chicago Stars have re-signed forward Nadia Gomes, with the Portuguese’s new deal running through the 2026 season. Finally, Chelsea and United States Women’s National Team forward Cat Macario is reportedly drawing interest from a number of NWSL clubs.

Free Kicks

• Congratulations are in order for a couple of Orlando Pride players!

• Former Lion Daryl Dike talked about what makes Christian Pulisic so special while also providing some insight into his own career.
• Neymar had a minor knee operation on Monday, and he continues to hold out hope that he will play in the 2026 World Cup.
• Meanwhile, Takumi Minamino tore his ACL on Sunday and will almost surely miss the tournament.

That does it for me this morning. Vamos Orlando!