SoccerWise - 2026 Opener Breaking News + The Biggest Stories

Episode Date: January 7, 2026

The band is back together for a megashow to open up the 2026 Ice Cream Shop. Tom & David go through all the biggest breaking news stories. From Nashville pushing into MLS Cup territory to Miami retooling. 4:50 Nancy Out At Celtic10:18 Nashville Blockbuster Signing For Espinoza20:00 Jacob Shaffelburg Traded To LAFC23:30 Inter Miami Secure Allende Return + Big Additions36:25 Houston In Talks To Acquire Mateus Bogusz40:50 Seattle Acquire u22 Initiative CM Nikola Petkovic43:55 Charlotte FC Sign Luca De La Torre50:45 Riqui Puig Heartbreaking Injury & LA Galaxy's Plans58:33 DC United Record Signing Forward1:03:20 Coaching Hires For SKC, CLB & Red Bulls1:12:20 Robin Lod to Chicago & Minnesota Restocking

What's up, everybody, welcome back to soccer-wise in 20-26. It is going to be a special year of soccer here in the United States, in Canada and in Mexico. We are so excited to be back amongst everyone to talk about all. all the biggest news in Major League Soccer around the national teams and everything else going on. And what a better way to restart the year, Tom, than 20 minutes of you trying to figure out how to use a computer and potential. I haven't seen yet because you haven't turned the camera for me. 15 holes in your wall throwing stuff out of it. I will gladly fall on any grenade and make fun of myself for improper use of technology.

Trying to dim a light on a microphone is not a grenade I'm falling on. not on me. This is on this, this, this trash company. Sure, is the name of the company, so. Don't ever buy a microphone from them. This is a direct attack on them, unless they'd like to sponsor some of our show. Fuck that. I'm not taking their money.

Standing on his principles, you can't dim Tom's light. You could potentially dim your microphone light, but you can't Tim, you can't dim Tom's light. What a start to 2026, rest of it? He is the brightest that we have. It was funny because the In the rundown I have, the first sentence was Tom burning the midnight.

So you burn ever brighter, Tom, even in the daylight. I get a text from you at 11 something last night. That's like, where's the dock? I'm ready to work. I was in bed reading about the Cuban Revolution. So it was perfect timing for me to get you that document. And you proceeded to fill in all of the amazing news that you've been breaking and all the other stories that you have and everything else. So we're going to go, we're going to start with the latest.

stuff. The real breaking news from the last day to 48 hours. And then we're going to get into all the biggest stories that we missed because we took a little bit of time off. If you haven't gone back and listen, by the way, we had sit down and interviews with Greg Burhalter and Andre Zanota. And then we put out a special episode at the beginning of this week in which myself, Bobby Warshaw and Matt Doyle sat down and just, you know, talked. We hung out. We chatted. And you can go listen to that. That was a delightful episode. I love Bobby. I love Doyle and I love you. I didn't even leave the podcast.

We took a little bit of a break and all of a sudden I'm listening to the show and do we anything more about PowerPoint decks that you guys want to talk about? Like what's up, dude? My favorite part from Bobby was what I really love about it. Like he will like press himself the same way he does other people. So it is completely genuine where he was just like, yeah, you know, I used to have this thought about, you know, some managers that were bad, but they were winning points. And, you know, I was trying to reflect on it. You know, was I wrong. Did the game change something involved?

And I was like, oh, that's really, that's mature. That's, that's, I wouldn't say growth because he's always been like this. I was like, it's a really intelligent and thoughtful and eagle this way to think about something. And then as he's talking, he goes, no, I just decided that they, all the ones I didn't like, they just got lucky every time they won a game. And actually, I was right the entire time. I was like, God, that was 102 miles on strike three. I was out in San Francisco for NWSL.

championship got to hang out with Bobby in person, great conversations, and then to bring it on to the show a little bit. I really appreciated my name of Soccer, which as him and Doyle said, they did not agree to. I loved that name. I don't know. I don't understand why they didn't like it. Boom. And now that's going to be the name of it going forward. We're going to try and do it every once in a while. I put it on Blue Sky, but if you want to send ideas of what you'd like that, you know, to talk about in that show, feel free. My guess would be Bobby's going to go in his own direction, so I'm not even going to be able to get it there. But you're welcome. to send us any of your feedback, whether in the Discord or on Blue Sky, we appreciate all the

engagement over the course of the little bit of time we took off from doing these live shows, but I wanted to make sure we had all those shows loaded up for you so that everyone would have the content that they wanted. We have a lot of news that's going to be breaking over the next few weeks, so we'll have all your shows coming. I'm going to be at the MLS Media Marketing Day tomorrow, so we'll be doing a lot of sit-down interviews that we're going to be bringing across the next few weeks. We've got our season previews that we're going to be working on. So we've got a lot of big plans over the next few weeks. So make sure to stay tuned, follow us anywhere. If you don't, social media, YouTube, or anywhere you get your podcast,

send it to anyone you think might like listening to some of this. Okay, let's start digging in. I want to say early on, because we're going to do a little coaching news. We're going to talk, Raphael, Vicki. We're going to talk about the Columbus crew. I just want to say early on. congratulations to any MLS sicko who's like I'm going to watch Celtic to see how Nonsei does and support him because you don't have to watch that trash team anymore you don't have to sit and watch the Scottish Premier League if you don't want to ever again and that I think is the greatest gift to all of us I think I think that's a big win and trying to stay out of the great 2025 26 MLS Scotland Twitter Wars I successfully avoided a lot of the rage bait and I will say it's not everybody it was a lot of like there was a couple like big Celtic accounts that were pretty nuanced and and that's where I am on this generally of like I don't think it was a right the good situation for Wilfred um I don't think that any team in the world really should be firing a manager after you know a month um but also he didn't get the results and that is what it is at the end of the day but and I haven't tried to take any pot shots at the Scottish league which pretty easy I think it's pretty easy to do so um and I've been trying to stay above the fray and then I just get like getting before I could even mute tweets from just Celtic fans coming in about being like, oh, MLS is just so non-competitive. Like, he wasn't ready for the step up.

Like, hey, mate, two teams have won your league since 1985. Two. That's competition, baby. And they're talking about promotion relegation. Yeah, fair enough. What, like, it's like, oh, there's no games of consequence. What games of consequence is a mid-table Scottish team playing, literally ever? If you're Celtic and Rangers, what games of consequence do you play if it's not against Celtic or Rangers or when it's losing in the championship qualification?

Celtic and Rangers treat their club as if it's Manchester City. Where would they be, would they be a mid-table champ-o team? Would they be a promotion trampo team? It's just, it's delusional. Yes, Tom. Yes. Feel the rage running through you. I've got texts from Celtic friends.

like fans who I have that are friends who are like, what should I think of this? And it's like, your team is terribly run. Your team hired this guy in the middle of the season. And they're like, well, Martin O'Neill was getting the results. It's like, then why didn't they let Martin O'Neill keep coaching the team? He's back now. He's back now.

Shout out to Martin, baby, keeping it alive. Huge fan of the Martin O'Neill, Assonville teams, by the way. So my favorite team in all time. Yeah, the whole thing is wild. Immediately everyone's like which MLS team can back their way out of their coach. to get Wilfred Nancy. I put it on blue sky. I think that I think Nancy will get a shot in Europe again.

And I think he will probably take it, would be my guess. If he took this risk and this jump, I think now is a time where he's trying that. But it won't be till the summer would be my guess. I hope not. Whether it's there or here, the openings probably won't exist. And you'd assume he wants to look his wounds for a little bit reassess and decide what he wants to do. But I think we both know. MLS coaches, American MLS coaches too,

who have gotten offers or interest from a Belgium from some of the lower teams in some of the leagues around the Big Five where if they're getting those options, Wilfred Nonsei would get those options. And now that he's available, I would be shocked if he doesn't get that. And my guess would be, based off the timing he did to jump to Celtic,

that that's the chance he wants to take, rather than sit around and say, all right, let me go back to MLS immediately. I hope so. honestly he left Columbus for Celtic because he wanted to go to Europe and be ambitious maybe he'll go to a country where

you don't get immediately laughed at for having a tactics board in the year of our Lord 2026 but like genuinely it was very admirable that like and sources told me that the Wilford Nazi told the crew like the understanding was hey if a team like Celtic opportunity

that I want comes along like kind of don't stand in my way and and that was the front office to the coaching staff. And non-season's promise to them was, I will not leave you during the season. I would not leave you in the summer during the middle of the season. Like, I don't want to do that to you. I love this club.

I love this deal. Like, I'm committed. If I start the season, unless you fire me, I'm finishing the season. That's super admirable. I never respect the hell out of that. Problem was.

For him went on a 12-and-a-half-minute answer about how few training sessions he got and how it was the middle of the season. Yes. So it's tough to square those two things. And then like I do, like that is genuinely, really, really good intentions.

And that is selfless intentions because he was saying it. Like, he was like, I signed up for this. I knew this was going to be hard. I knew I wasn't going to have training test. It wasn't surprised. Like, he's taking accountability. So all of that being said, I hope that his next job is in Europe. And I hope that it's in the summer.

And I hope it goes well because I'm a huge fan of him still. Even with the way this went, you still saw in that interview and all of that in that press conference, why he's an endearing person, why people want to be around him. I did see one of the memes on ML. us read it, which was getting fired 33 days into a job, impossible. And then the meme of him saying impossible was nothing. It's a good bit. It is a good bit.

They are funny to be fans. All right. Let's go into the latest news. And let's start surprisingly, I think, for many people maybe in Nashville, not in Miami, because this to me is the most exciting move so far of the offseason time. Yes, this was the marquee free agent on the market. Nashville has signed Christian Espinoza sources have told me he will be a designated player with Nashville San Jose tried to keep them they made a big offer to keep them they could offer Espinosa more than

anybody else the Portland Timbrews I believe were the runner-up for Espinosa they made a DP offer LAFC were in and I don't know you could probably say a bunch of other teams that at least had like genuine interest I don't know how serious he was with them or they were with him but he ends up at Nashville. And this was not a team that we connected him with. No. When we were thinking about it, when we were talking about it, this is a fantastic fit.

And for me, this makes Nashville, though we're going to get to Inter Miami. In New Miami, I think it's had, like they're better than they were last year, or at least going to be better once they fill that third D.P. Nashville are the next team there for me at the moment, just kind of riffing off the top of my head. Like, this is such a serious signing,

such a good fit with the players in the team and his chance creation somehow I think is going to have a chance to level up Honeymoons, Sam Surge, two players who combined for 40 goals in MLS last season. They combined for 40 of their 58. So one of the priorities for Nashville this winter was how can we tweak, evolve, give BJ Callahan, more options and more combinations, but also

alleviate the burden a little bit from Honey and Surridge because now they have a guy who he's, Chris and S. Melos has been top five in MLS and chance creation. I'm pretty sure every single year for the last six. And he's San Jose's all-time leading score and, oh, by the way, he has played all of their regular season games, but like nine over the last seven years. Yeah.

That's unbelievable. Yeah, he's a bit of an Iron Man. when we found out he would be a free agent I think what we said was there's not a team that will be worse off for getting him because he's so good that he is a high level DP for any team but the right fit is even bigger and this is an unbelievable move for Nashville they are it kind of combines like the change that they're going through both possession style and maybe spending a little bit with who they are at their core which is they have crushed inside of MLS moves like they've been at their best seeing players inside the league and seeing that they'll come and fit what they do best. And so this is sort of that mix of like high level DP, big name, but also a guy where you've got the few years of MLS experience that you've seen it. The thing I love about this move is they've tried to play in this 4-2-2-2, but then at times with Schaffelberg and Wheel, it's a little bit more comfortable for them to go out wide. Surge is obviously a great finisher down the middle. Espinoza

can do both. Like he can be a true 10 and be inside and be. comfortable with bodies around him and create space and still get on the dribble internally, but then he's a killer if you get him outside. And so he will fit whatever it is they end up doing. If it's him and wheel, maybe he's outside a little more. If it's him and Quasum, maybe he's inside a little more. The two of them can connect. There is just like, this is a home run move. And I think we didn't have Nashville in here because they just haven't really played in this this deep end of the pool so far. And that's like from a spending point of view, but that's also from an ambition point of view of like Christian Espinoza is going here because he thinks

they can win with him. They don't know how many players over the last five years looked at Nashville and said, okay, I can bring my talents there and that elevates us into a championship contender. I would push back on that because I think that they've been ambitious, even when things haven't been, like, things, if things haven't worked out, I don't think that has been lacking ambition. Like, Akelobo at the time was, what, $7 million? And it just, like, Gary Smith just didn't rate him. Would not play him. alongside Muktar. It was one or the other situation. It ended up being the wrong thing, but that wasn't an unambitious move.

Yonder Kidiz, after Gary Smith, wouldn't play him either. And I'm not trying to take shots at Gary Smith. They were very, very successful under him. And, like, the foundation he laid, it was a very successful term with him as head coach. I want to be abundantly clear about that. But I think that's coloring your mindset here and probably the way they played. So the only thing I push back there is I think Cadiz was a more convenience move of like he was available, he came over.

Ake Lova, huge ambition. I don't disagree with that. My point is Christian Espinoza is an MLS guy. And inside this league, he assessed the teams that were interested in him. And the ones you named are all teams that are competing for MLS Cup. And he looked at it and said, Nashville is a place that I can go to and win. That's why we didn't have them on their, have them on his list.

Because that wasn't a reality for us a month ago, where we were saying, oh, if you're a player like this, these are the teams you're going to go through. and these other teams are going to talk about, we talked about L.AFC, who are one step away consistently, and that's a big name. So I think that's really exciting for Nashville that they've elevated themselves into this conversation, that they show themselves to the league in a way where a guy like Christian Espinosa is watching them from afar, is playing against them, is playing in the league and says, this is the soccer I want to play, this is the type of team I want to go into.

And I think for Honey Mukdar, it's huge because Honey now, whether he is going to drop deep and create, and Espinosa can push a little higher and score goals, or if he's going to show, stretch the field and whatnot, he could do one or the other. He doesn't have to do both all the time. And like the combination and the interplay, I think, down the right flank between Nahar and Espinosa,

it's just going to be absolutely deadly. You talk about service, obviously, for Honey, but now Sam Surge. There is interest from Sam Surge in England, but sources have told me there has not been an offer to Nashville. There is interest, my understanding, is the player who also was in the golden

boot race with Messi might be interested by Wolverhampton Wander. Unbelievable headline that never mentions his name, but mentions Messi's name. That's a great. Maybe we'll call this show. We should call this show about a team that has a player on it who was in a golden boot race with Messi. And even just like some of the nerdy things. I'm like, listen, Sam Surge, really good player, really good finish, a really smart movement.

So just the baseline there is going to work out. But, like, the little nuances of Christian Esmondoza plays off the right, and he's a traditional winger in the sense that he's a right-footed player on the right side. Sam Surridge, a lot of his goals, it's not just center-forward. It's like when he drifts, he likes to drift into the left channel. Well, that is the perfect crossing ability to that player. So, again, even if this was opposite and he liked to drift right, they would have figured it out. But, again, I can't say, I don't think a negative thing.

I'm so over the moon about this. I think it is, again, I think it is clear that they are the next team. after Nashville, after Miami at the moment, just because there's questions. And CENC, there's questions everywhere else in the Eastern Conference. There's a lot of very good teams. But I really like to sign it.

The only thing, like with Nashville, Maxwell Wolletti, I've heard a lot of good things about him. He seems like a very good player. I spoke to some people at his previous club as well. Frederick Stod rave about him, not just as a player, but as a person. They are so excited to see him here and think he's going to succeed. We need to see it happen, right?

For sure. But like, I don't doubt that it will. But in terms of question marks, that might be it for this team. And did Joe Willis all of a sudden get too old? No, I don't think so. So even if we're trying to be super fair and balanced and not just go over the top, everything's great,

everything's perfect, like trying to poke any holes in this team, they're pretty small ones comparatively. Yeah, I think on the backline side of things, their ceiling is having, well, let Z be elite. But if you're a worst case scenario, as it takes them a little while to fill in, and Jack Mayer has to play more than expected, that's not a bad setup for an MLS team.

He's had good games. The second part is they need to show that they can be a dominant possession team because I love Tag Seth and Yazbek, but I think they're at their best with the ball. But that signing of Christian Espinoza shows they clearly have that intent to them. And I have Quasum high on my Goss theorem list. Oh, yeah. I just think he was good last year,

but he could be special this year with more consistent. and that's what you get from an international young player coming over and getting comfortable. And before we move on as well, like, so the worry with this team in attack had been, Hani Mukhtar is playing A, B, C, and D. And this happened in, what was it, 23, when they lost the Leaks Cup final to Miami. Honey went ice cold or maybe it was 24, whatever year it was. The team was really good for the first 60% of the season, and Hani was MVP level. and then honey dropped to just like fine

and they dropped to bad which is not a fair burden on honey but like this is something that they and like Sam Surge doing what he did last year so bang now you have a two-man show but now you have Espinosa who again has been the best chance creator cumulatively over the last seven years because he's been here since

2019 and again is almost if not if not almost like I'm assuming every year top five in chance creation but your fourth attacker is at any given point Kossam who I'm very excited about Johnny Perez who I think is a good player. I don't know how many minutes he's going to get because there's a lot of options

here. And say it. Alex Beweil. Is Tyler Boyd's, I mean, this is a genuine thing. That's what I was waiting for. Those are four options for your fourth attacker. Yeah. That is very, very strong. And they just signed Warren Madrigal. And if he gives you literally nothing, it's okay. Yeah, Tyler Boyd's an interesting one. Like, obviously injuries, it's been tough. He fits into the style. He's put up numbers in MLS before and there's zero pressure on him because he will be this fifth, six option for this team. So an awesome offseason so far for this Nashville team on the backside of this, they traded Jacob Schaffelberg to LAFC. So it's a million dollars in

game split across two years. We've seen a lot of the moves like this. So it'll be 500 each year. Nashville retains a bit of a sell on. I'd be surprised if there's much in that. And L.A.F.C. picks up Jacob Schaffelberg. So this was one that hit in the middle of the sort of holiday layoff that we had. And I was thinking about it for a while. And like, I think he makes sense in L.A. I do because they play transitional. They want to stretch the field.

I think that's too much for Jacob Schaffelberg. I don't think so. I don't think he's a consistent starter on a good team. So a million is a lot to give up for a backup, right? We've said 500,000 is five to 700,000 is where you sit probably for a starter. but L.AFC are in a place where they know exactly the role they're asking him to play. I think it's a pretty good move for everyone overall, but it's not one I look at and say, oh, why didn't someone else do that?

Like, I'm fine with the reality, which is this probably only works for one or two teams in MLS. Yeah, and listen, if I was LAFC, I would be worried, you know, I don't think we're fast enough. You know, there's Denny Belonger, there's Sun Jung Min, there's Nathan Ordaz, Mark Delgado is a super athletic midfielder, Tim Tillman, probably need more pace in the team. So I'm glad that they have that sorted. I think it's a good fit, too, Goss. And I don't, I don't, I don't quibble with the price tag.

I think that it's a fair, like, I don't think that Nashville got robbed or robbed LFC. Like, I think that this is around where you go. And yeah, you talk about a starter. There were different circumstances, let's say, for a couple of the Red Bull guys. Peter Stroud at 500,000, I don't know if he's going to be started from Minnesota. I think that's a good trade. I think that's a good player. But you kind of also know what he is.

He's a good player, but there's a lot of guys who run and get stuck in. Again, I think that's a good, that's not a negative to him, but you're going to pay more for a rotational piece in the attack. Shoot, look at Jaden Nelson. He was not a starter for Vancouver and was not going to be this year. We both think that he's a good player. And what did Austin pay for him?

1.2 plus something, right? Something like that. Like, I think this is a fair valuation for Jacob Schaffler. And we also didn't know at the time, I was deducing that, oh, this means that they're not getting Christian Esmenosa. Didn't know that this is Nashville. LASC are in the Christian Espenosa conversation and they're like, we think we're going to sign with Nashville.

And they just call. They're like, so we're hearing there might be a little bit of an opening for you at the wing. Is there someone you want to move on? I would say, and this is probably my bias of the way I like soccer played, I would take Jaden Nelson over him. And I think the Jaden Nelson number is fair because I think he's more consistent. and can change the game in more ways. Jacob Schaffelberg's this guy where if the game is set,

you could throw him against the wall and every once a while he'll break through. But I think the issue we've seen him bump up against with Canada and Nashville is he cannot do it against everyone. He can't do it every single game. But it gives them sort of this weird like for like set up if Bunga goes missing, if Sun is with the national team, whatever it is,

which makes sense for this L.A.F.C. team. And of course, Mark Dos Santos, coming from the Canadian background, has a ton of interaction with Schaffelberg knows him well and goes and picks up a player that he knows. Let's move down to Miami now where there's like 97 pieces of news going on. Let's start with the biggest one of the last 10, 12 hours. Yeah, nonstop. You could honestly argue multiple of these, though.

I think that there is a clear number one. Today, Oijende, into Miami are very close on a new deal to keep to Jayo Ajende at Miami on a permanent transfer. I'm told by multiple sources The plan is for him to not be a DP at the moment For him to be maxedam That is extremely impressive

Very, very useful for the team To be able to work it like this Seltivigo were in a pretty good negotiating point After today I and they had nine goals in the playoffs There's more than broken record for MLS. He had 24 goals in all competitions last year And again his goals were integral to them winning MLS Cup And now he's here

The River Plate wanted him I don't know who else did or what was or what wasn't totally real, but today I agenda staying with into Miami. And, you know, it's a huge move for Miami. As you mentioned, the nine goals in the playoffs was the breakthrough. His ability to stretch the field, his understanding how to play off messy, and then his efficiency in finishing. He adds an element to the team.

It was an element you assumed Miami was going to find a way to bring back into the squad, but it's easier to do it with him than to bring in someone. new and have them learn how to play and, you know, his biggest skill set to this team is his speed and his ability to stretch the field. So they bring that back. You don't have to learn a new player. He already understands things. And he comes off the hottest streak of his career and, you know, any player's hot streak in the playoffs. And it's an unbelievable move for Inter Miami. But the big reaction for a lot of people that aren't Inter Miami fans is how is this possible? That is pretty much the reaction anytime in Inter Miami player.

But this one is fair. This one feels a little more fair, and it feels like one we're going to continue to learn about. Yeah. We'll see what, like, I haven't heard, I haven't even heard a ballpark of the fee. So we'll see if there's going to be any reporting on that or if I hear anything. And obviously, transfer fees are relevant to his budget charge because, let's say, he signs a five-year contract. I'm just using round numbers here.

if it's a five-year contract and it's a $5 million, well, part of his budget charge every single year is $1 million, which then would leave $1 million-ish for him to be paid in salary. So, and again, I don't know what the exact numbers are. I'm just using that to, again, give a quick refresher. To make a little bit easier. A quick refresher to everybody for that. And again, so that's a TAM signing.

That's Obin Woboto ended up as a TAM signing for SINC, but that was after he was a DP for a couple years. and the transfer fee kind of amortized. So I understand the questions or the frustration from other fans. At the moment, we just don't know the exact details, the exact figures. I know that's not going to soothe many people, particularly when we'll get into the other moves that they're doing. They're finalizing a deal to sign Mikhail on loan from Palmarish,

the former Houston Dynamo Star Centerback, who is in the mix for Defender of the Year, at least on our ballots and our conversations. I think I voted him best 11 two years ago in MLS. Yeah, very, very, very good over a couple years of Houston, earned a big move to Palmerish. He wasn't, like, staple to the bench. He was, I think he had like 1,200 minutes in the Brazilian top flight this year. That's not nothing.

That was, I think very, very highly of him, but Palmerich are a huge club. And this is, it's like a Benfica style where they might have 41st team players. And like, well, or Chelsea, we'll see who hits. So, like, when I heard the, like, sources to tell me that this was happening, I went and checked. I was like, oh, he must have not played, like, at all for Paul Maris. I was like, oh, like, he was a rotation guy. That's interesting.

So this is a loan initially with the purchase option. So the loan obviously helps say why he's not a designated player. And this is a huge addition. And they're also, I'm just going to name them all because my larger point. There are also sources tell me verbally agreed doing final details on the deal to acquire David Ijala from the Portland Timbers, $2 million cash for Ayala was in the last year his contract. I know that other teams wanted him, or

interested in him, but it was kind of on the condition of, yeah, like, we'll pay that fee, but you need to give us permission to talk new contract because he's out of contract in 12 months. We don't want to send $2 million and then have the guy walking here. From my understanding, at least, Miami don't have that. They were like, right? Like, we'll

roll the dice. I think he's really good. U-22 initiative. That's how he fits under the cap. And hey, if he walks in the year, maybe he walks in a year. But Portland wanted to engage in contract talks for personal reasons. He didn't entertain it. And again, that's why some other teams around MLS weren't, you know, super charged into this deal because they weren't willing to take the risk that maybe he walks for free in a year. Miami is. They're also signing right back to Guadomor. We talked about that. I think that's already been announced. Rokos Rios Novo is back. Long talked about Dan St. Clair. We can go back to those specific moves more and more. But the larger point is Miami have a DP spot open. I think right now they're better than they were last year without having another DP. I agree with you. Mikhail and Dane St. Clair are two of the best at their position or have been in the last few years.

And they've added those guys. David Ajala just had his best season to deport them. That's three new starters. You don't, if they don't sign a DP winger, it's going to be okay because you have Lino Messi. You know, like this team is better than they were last year. I agree with you. Now let me say, because we have it on our depth charts and the reality right now is if they bring in Ajala, they would be currently at two DPs for U20.

which would say 2-4-2. Inside of that, Thomas Avilaise, Mateo Silvetti, and Talasco Segovia are the U-22 initiative players. I think we'd all be surprised if Thomas Avilas was on this team just because of the lack of playing time and opportunity there. And the guess is that they will find a way to have him find a new destination or walk away, whatever it is, and then can have that open DP spot. But that's, if anyone's asking, that's why we're reading it that way, because the

assumption is that that opening will be there. Then you flip into Silvetti finished unbelievably on the season. Like I think he is next year going to be better than he was last year. And the two biggest holes on this team were goalkeeper and centerback. And as I said, I voted Mikael, best 11 and in the defender of the year top three, two years ago, in a possession heavy team where his main role was to still be the closer and best defender for a team with fullbacks flying forward. So he fits exactly into what Inter Miami already is. He does that in front of the best goalkeeper to ever play for this club now in Dane

St. Clair, who's got experience in this league, has won in big moments, is a match winner in PKs. And now behind David Ijala, who started 30 games last year for Portland and is a different type of player, obviously, Sergio Bousquet's, but it is a good to high level starting MLS D-Mid can do so alongside Rodrigo DePaul, and this team now has an option. Do they start Segovia in central midfield as an attacker?

Do they start messy there and start another center forward? There's a few different ways you can play, but Aizala now gives you an anchor defensively. DePaul, I think we've seen, is just good enough to do whatever else you want. And so there's a little bit of an opening. I agree with you. This team's better

right now than they were when they won MLS Cup with the opening and ability to get even better. Which is scary, I think, for any team out there. And for any fan who's mad about this, I think it's fair on one side. The other side of things is they are potentially taking a $2 million bath on David Ijala who walks away in a year. That's ambition. That's what we're talking about when we're saying maybe a Sergio Regulone's like,

I don't mind living in Miami. I kind of want to win things and I kind of want to play with Messi. But you have to build that environment. And yes, not every city can do that. But that's what, I don't know. let's say MLS talking heads on social media mean when they talk about a team having ambition and showing it. Somebody with glass ankles?

Exactly. This is the true, let's just call it Wonderbread. Let's say Wonderbred's online and decides, you know what? I can't go stale because I'm made of pure chemicals. I don't like flavor. I don't really live in the real world. But I'm going to throw out a couple spicy tweets or blue skies here or there. But that's like the example.

Other MLS teams wouldn't make the. steal. And I think that's right. Like, why would you, you're not going to invest this money in a guy you can't bring it? For Miami, if they could win two more championships this year in Messi's timeline, then maybe they don't really care. And if he just, and if they decide in the end he's worth it, they can find a way to bring him back, whether that's buying someone out, whether that's using an open DP spot, using max stamp, whatever it is. But that is the things that Miami has done on their own, which is U22 initiative gives you X amount of money to go spend. They've gone out and spent it on Gomez and Redondo.

And then they've brought money back in because of the ability to sell them. All of that money is coming out of their owner's pockets. And so they have chosen to go out and spend that money. And that's the ambition that people are talking about when they're saying that. They're not saying breaking the rules, which is a problem and has happened in the past, which is why everyone questions this to such an extent. But we're talking about inside of what you're allowed to do, there is space that people can spend. And outside of just messy and whatever he gets from the Apple deal and some of that stuff,

which is a little bit different because not every player is going to be eligible for the whole league to try and chip in and find a way to bring in. This is an example of what they're trying to do and what they're trying to build. It's an impressive offseason so far. The Mikhail moves like crazy. When it first dropped, I was like, okay,

this is probably a South American player, maybe connected to Argentina that I've never heard of before because that's the 80 other defenders that have come into this team. And then it's like, oh, no, this is the one? This is the guy. I mean, his move late, tanked Houston's season, I would say, partially because of one had happened and partially because of how good he is and what he has meant for that team.

Before we walk away here, coming out of the Ajala news, let's just talk Timbers a little bit because that's a huge loss for this team. As I said, 32 appearances last year in MLS, 30 starts for this team in Central Midfield. Yeah, Timbers will be replacing him. They're working through targets. I'm expecting more additions there. They've already signed Australian centerback Alex Bontig from West. Western Sydney Wanderers to be another option to partner with Finn Sermon, who again is

very, very good. They brought in branded by this winter. They were in the Christian Espinosa sweepstakes. They came close. I'm expecting them to sign a DP winger this winter. They already have three DPs. Jonathan Rodriguez is one of them. Jonathan Rodriguez's health status for 2026 is a big question mark, which is very unfortunate.

He was awesome in his debut season with Bortland. And then last year missed almost the entire year with the knee injury, had a couple or at least one procedure. And the timeline isn't super close if you were to come back. If you had to guess which D.P. wouldn't be there to make room for a new D.P. signing. You wouldn't say the player who came in last February, and you wouldn't say the player who came in last August, right? So just by order of deduction, you would look at Jonathan Riggas,

which is a sad situation, but it is just part of the game. but I say that all to say the timbers will continue to reinforce and they have they will have an open U-22 initiative spot if they do move on from Ajala and he is sent to um sent to Miami and they'll also have the money that they get for him to use I like David de Costa I think he's a good player I think Veld is going to be a monster this year and could probably be the best attacker they've had I guess since Evander um which I hasn't actually been that long. I was going to say, like, in the Valeris, Sebastian Blanco again, and then I forgot about Evander. The big question with this team is

to improve defensively. Losing Ajala doesn't help that. Like, I don't know if it was me. I'd probably spend that money in Central Midfield and see if I could get someone who partners De Costa who helps me dominate games. I like the idea of bringing another young center back like this, probably one who's closer to being finished than some of the other products they've gone, but they did really well with Finn Serman. And you know I love the brand and buy signing under the radar. And I'm going to be all. about that one going forward. Let's talk about some of the other big news over the last few days and one that popped

out, Houston, who looks to be in advanced talks to potentially bring in former LAAFC attacker Mateus Bogus. Yeah, they have an offer on the table. Houston has an offer on the table for around 6.5 million plus add-ons. Performed L.A.F.C. star, Mateus Bogus, Houston, and Cruz Azul are still in negotiations. There is no agreement imminent, but it is serious conversations, and Houston are working hard. I think this would be a fantastic signing. I would really like his fit within Ben Olson's system and the way they play.

And this would be a marquee DP, right? So they have signed Brazilian winger Guillermo from Santos. That was like a $2 million fee. They had Ponce, who was a club record, I forget what it was, like $7 million. And they were planning, they've been planning to add a third DP. They just didn't know if they're going to do it now or if something's going to happen this summer. Well, Bogus makes a ton of sense if they're able to get them. And I would really, really like this fit.

And then all of a sudden, this is a new-made attack that still has Lawrence and Ali, still has Ponce, and you hope that these further additions will give you more and get more, let's say, out of Poncee. Jack McGlynn becomes into more of a role that I think, at least me, I don't want to put words in your mouth. I see him more as an eight and a half than I do like a winger or an inverted winger or a 10 or something. And I think all of that will help with the possession and attacking output that alluded them last season. They have two more TAM signings on the way. I'm expecting that to be defensive-minded,

whether that's across the defensive line or maybe somewhere else in the midfield. Again, I'm assuming more on the defensive line. So Houston are having a very busy off-season, and you talked about the Mikhail. The Mikhail deal, it was a tough. Like, it's not like they planned to lose him. Palmaris made the offer when they made the offer, right?

Which was all of last off-season for Houston, which was they had a great year, Coco's going to leave. And you couldn't turn down that money. Now they're turning around and spending it. Right. And so, but that is the context of they really want to have all these signings as early as possible. And that, again, you can control what you can control. You can control signing players or at least try your best to. So that's why Houston, there'll be, again, Guillermo is done. I don't think they've announced it. I think one, if not both of those new TAM signings are done as well.

So the idea is that all of these guys will be here in early preseason, which I think the coaching staff will be very happy about. So I saw Joe Larry put this on Blue Sky. Joe's one of the best who says a Guillermo Ponce, Mateus Bogus, attacking three doesn't really scare a lot of MLS teams, which I agree with. And then in the abstract, I love Mateus Bogush as a player and I love the signing. Like I'm kind of caught in between these two, which is, yeah, I think there's a bit of a ceiling here. I mean, Guillermo might be better than we think. And maybe the two of them, they unlock Ponzi. But look at where you're at.

Guillermo hasn't put up huge numbers in his career, and a lot of his goals have come from PKs, and Ponzi hasn't put up numbers in MLS. And Bo Gush, as good as he was with LAFC, and I think that's the question here, which is, it felt like he was verging on being a superstar for the end of his time at LAFC. If he comes back from Mexico and has taken a step, then there's the potential, which is, it's like when Lucho went to left D.C. for Mexico, I don't know why I said D.C., L.F. when he left D.C. for Mexico and then went to F.C. Cincinnati, he took a step. He was a better player. He affected the game more.

If Boghush can do something like that, it completely changes the calculus. I do think the floor on Boghush is really high. Like, at a minimum, if he is who he was at L.A.F.C., Houston's better than they were last year. He's a better soccer player. He can affect the game. He can score goals for himself. He can beat guys 1 v.1. He can kill you in transition. Like, that's the easy stuff that you know. So therefore, there's no reason not to make this move.

But it does question, I think, a little bit for Houston of what the ceiling is. And I think after last year, that's fine, which is, let's raise our floor. Let's make the playoffs. Let's be competitive. Let's get back on track to where we can be. But I understand the question marks being out there with some of these signings. They still need a centerback. I still need to see something more in central midfield.

If you're going to play Jack McGlynn as an eight and a half alongside Arter, I still worry about how easy you could be to play against in that midfield. And so unless you can change game state, and dominate the ball the way they did in Ben Olson's first year, enough, you maybe need a little bit more tenacity in that space to help Jack McGolyn and make his life a little bit easier. And you still need to replace McIill in that centerback position and every other role. All right, Tom, you're breaking news as we talk. So you want to keep rolling?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I'll be quicker on these. Seattle Sounders are finalizing a deal to acquire midfielder, Nicolaekevich, unloan from Charlotte FC. I'm told that's all agreed set and, you know, put in motion. and I believe Jeremiah Oshan first reported that the talks are happening. I'm saying, I'm told now that that is there. He will retain a U-22 slot with Seattle.

Seattle has one open. And Charlotte needed to free up a U-22 slot. And Petkovich just hasn't played at all under Dean Smith. I still think that there's a talented player here. Let's see how he fits in Seattle. I figured he was, I felt very, very strongly he was going to leave this winter. I just assumed it was going to be back to Europe he's got a couple caps

maybe just one with Serbia like he played in a January camp against the United States and was really really good I think he was captain of the U-21s before he came over as well yeah yeah yeah so I think he's a talented player and to make this about myself because he stays in MLS

I don't have to take the L on Nicola Pekovic is a very good player that I've said every preseason three couple years in a row we have we still we have not run out the clock on yet so the part that I don't getting this is Seattle. Yeah. They signed to Sonny Dotson. Yeah.

So you've got Roll Don, Rousnak, and Dodson. My assumption is one, this is an available player, right? If Charlotte's out there shopping him, you're getting a good deal for a guy who they paid, I mean, this is part of that Crown Legacy thing where Charlotte went out and like paid money for these guys to bring them in

and develop them. There's like a $3 million signing. And move them in, yeah. Yeah. I assume this is a, Obed Vargas is probably not going to play a full season with Seattle, even if he does, that's probably it. And you're sort of trying to like pre-build that move in with Snyder Brunel as well. But I don't know that there's not minutes for him right now in Seattle, right?

Well, I don't disagree, but like, it'd be weird if a team signed him and was like, you're our starting six. We haven't seen you play like four minutes in MLS. Right. Like, so I think that that makes sense. Yeah. Yeah. It's one of those where I think, it's a timely move if you're Seattle. And this is one of the strengths of Seattle is because the core of their roster is pretty well settled and most of them are on long-term deals that they have comfortably, they can sit around and wait for moves like this. I would argue that Paul Ariola and Hazers-Ferrera as wrong as they went, those were moves like this of like, oh, this guy's available. We could be a landing spot. And Peckovich, for

anything less than $3 million are getting a deal. And I agree with you. I think he's good. I've seen him play for Crown Legacy, obviously more than I've seen him play in MLS. I think he's talented. I think you can affect the game both ways. And I think he could fit in for Seattle. But I would be surprised if he played a bunch of minutes until after the World Cup, which they could not care. I mean, Seattle has one player as U-22 initiative signing right now.

Like they have the openings to go out and use those spots and be a landing spot for one of those teams. This goes into a longer series with Charlotte where they've made some moves in central midfield. Yeah, they've signed Luca Delo Torre from Saltivigo after. after he was on loan and San Diego last season. This is a profile that they really, really need. They need somebody who can progress the ball who can be good in possession. And I'm just going to keep on thinking about their playoff elimination

to NYCFCC. They played well that day. A lot of attacks died in the final third at the feet of Gibral Gianni or Brandico. So having this profile, I think, is good. I think that he's a better version of Eric Williamson. And I say that to begin with, Dean Smith very clearly did not trust or

rate Eric Williamson what he was doing off the ball. So that is my worry for Luca Delo Tore's fit with this team. Though I do think that they need to evolve. And he is the kind of profile that they need in that midfield. I mean, they spent money this time. Like last time it was like, okay, you don't have to play Eric Williamson because he was kind of a throw in. And if you don't trust him, whatever.

But like now they've put their money where their mouth is if you're going to sign Luca Delatori after the year he had coming over, you know, from LaLiga. So that's on Dean Smith. that he's committed already to playing this guy. Five goals to assist with San Diego last year. He showed he could play an MLS, like you said, his ability to create from a central area, his ability to break guys down 1V1,

really, really impressive, dangerous on the half turn. We've joked about it enough, but like this Charlotte midfield for a long time has been roll your socks up and get after it. And it's Bram Bronico throwing his body against everything to try and create, which is a credit to them. And they're going to still do that. behind him. But now there's a little bit more quality in class in there. It moves Pepi-L around

as well, which I don't hate. I think part of that's like Pepi-L's health and the red card issue two years ago and like, how much can you rely on him? And now if you're asking between him and Kerwin Vargas, can I get one complete dangerous attacker for a full season, you're probably going to get that where you're less reliant on those guys. And I think BL now is opened up to be super dangerous. Yes. Yeah, I'm glad that that's where you ended. That sounded pessimistic about PEPL off the jump. I think it's an acknowledgement of his best moments are good enough to be a special attacker in MLS. And I don't believe right now that we're going to get those 25 times a year.

But between him and Kerwin Vargas, I think you're going to get that 25 to 30 times between the two of them. And with the pressure off PEPL, it makes his life a little bit easier to be a special player. Yeah. And I think that, again, we talk about optionality and versatility. like Pepi L and Kerman Vargas are two very, very different style of players. Yeah. And even talking about Luca Delatori, just while the money certainly will help give you reasons to keep giving somebody a chance, Lielabata got dropped, not, did not take that long from Dean Smith.

So like, and that was whatever, $6 million signing. So I don't think that he'd be afraid to do that if he doesn't see fit. So that that's kind of the only worry that I'd say here. Yeah. To be clear, one, Archie Goodwin stock, I'm investing more. All right. I'm investing more. in there i'm not i'm actually more impressed uh and where do we sit with leo labata do we think i think i think he's got i have to absolutely gone this winter um seltic could be looking for an attacker

that's a good point um no i think that they ran him off too um you know who i'm excited about by by kula bolly super super talented kid came here last summer started with crown legacy ended up ended the season with charlotte um again that is why he's a u-22 player that is why um peckovitch was obvious move so that they're able to keep three DPs. So if and when the Elabata leaves, they can add another dozen eight players, I think would be very, very useful. And one thing that I'm just going to keep bringing up, I think Zaha's deal is through the summer of this year.

So it's just a factor. As confident and Zoran has said, like, we're confident in our process, he likes it here, whatever, it's going to be a flag to me until it's decided and over. Does all of this open up a spot for one of your mates? Because I believe we're going to walk on right now. Is Harve headed this way? So Charlotte, real interest, and if Harvey Elliott said, yes, I'm in to come, Charlotte would be front of the line to bring in Harvey Elliott from Liverpool on loan

because Harvey Elliott is, was at Liverpool to begin this season, I guess he played early games. Then he was loaned to Aspen Villa, which means you can't play for three teams in a calendar season. He's not playing for Estabilla. They don't want to keep them because they're not using him. if he's not going to play Liverpool, which is clearly not in the plans. They can't send him out on loan somewhere else other than MLS because of the opposite calendar. This was the Wilfred Zaha situation when Charlotte signed Zaha last winter.

He was at Leon and Galatasarai. Wait, are you telling me we should keep the schedule? Cancel? Cancel the schedule change? Zoring, come on. This is also much different than the Zah situation because Charlotte, from what I understand, fully acknowledges this like Zaha was like you said

the long term thing again it was at least going to be a year or 18 months and again with the likelihood that things go well you stay for a while

very obvious that if Harvey Elliott says yes this is a clear three four months get me to the summer and then leave again and that could be useful

for everybody but I'm Charlotte themselves understand that like it's an audacious attempt and it's up to the player and again, he was the best player at the U-21 euros, like last summer.

This kind of guy usually doesn't go on loan to MLS even for a couple months, even in extenuating circumstances. So it's a possibility. I don't know where Harvey's head is with that. Oh, you haven't talked to Harv? No, I haven't talked about it. Okay. I do forget it's that time of year where people are, quote, crashing out in the chat.

We love doing this live, so thank you to all of you who are here. We've got Tristan Blackmun questions. because we got Hamas Rodriguez questions. Love the Snyder Brunel mentions. I've gotten a bunch of texts and I'm like, I'm not asking anybody else about Helmish Rodriguez. I'm just not. Just text Thomas and see what he's up to.

She's not doing it. I was down in Mexico. I think he's been linked with every single MLSD. I was down to Mexico. Actually flew out of Leon on my trip back, which was his most recent spot. I almost went by his place. But we were texting and it just felt like our schedules wouldn't match up.

And it just gets confusing at some point. So I didn't end up doing that. But if you have more questions, more things you want to say, throw them into the chat as well. And thank you to Jorge Torres, who agrees and says keep the schedule the way it is with me. Okay, that is all of our breaking, breaking, breaking news. We still have a lot of breaking news to talk about. We want to talk about some of the biggest stories that have happened over the last week or so

and how they affect all these different teams. Let's start we have to with Ricky Bush. Just like a brutal set of news, which is, of course, he tears his, he tore is a, I can't remember the ACL. ACL. In the conference championship, the MLS semi-final, a season ago. So he can't play in the final. They end up winning. He gets his surgery.

He rehabs all year. And it turns out that there were some issues with the surgery. And now he's had to go back under the knife. And the comment from the LA Galaxy is they are excited to welcome him back for the 2020 season, 2027 season. So it already takes this entire year off the table. brutal one of the best young players in MLS I think a player that you pay money to go watch because of the way he plays because of the excitement the happiness he plays with i mean even in some of the behind-the-scenes stuff you've seen like clearly a driver of the culture there you saw it in the emotion i think for the players representing him in that final linden donovan wearing his jersey onto the fields carrying the cup like all of that and for him to not be able to play for two full seasons in the middle of his prime when he's finally gotten back on the field

after not getting a ton of time in Barcelona and all of that. It's tough. So I think that news coming out was really, really, was really, really hard for the team, for the club. I think you saw it in the fan reaction. I think you saw it around the league from a lot of different people, just the frustration for him in not being able to play. It's brutal, man.

Just what a heartbreak. So he underwent surgery on that same knee that had the tort ECO. um just sucks the plan was for him to come back during the 2025 season that didn't happen um and we all thought that he was back for 26 and that's not happening um there are a few players that inspire more joy in this league there are a few i i would i would argue very heavily to say that there is only one player who is more completely tied to how their team plays and their team success than him and that's leo messy like it's not just his quality it's that he was somehow the person who would get the ball deep to break lines,

then run up the field, get the ball back, and make the final pass for an assist or score. There's nobody like that. And it was a perfect fit under Greg Vanney in this team. And the way that Vanney built the team around him, as he damn well should have, the same way Miami builds a team around Messi. This is the kind of player in this league we're talking about. He had 13 goals, 15 assists, and 24. he went bonkers in the playoffs he tears his ACL in the conference final

on the winning play plays no he plays another 25 minutes right after he tore his ACL that's when he assisted the game's only goal to get them to MLSCO they like what it's just incredible like what a warrior and this is just really really sad um and I want to set aside all of that because that is first second and third most important when we have to talk about a salary cap league and sports these games will still be played even without them so we have to talk about what does this mean for the galaxy and how huge a factor was last year and this was the worst team in mLS history for the first 15 games yes because of the chasm they're missing with him which is unreplaceable but also in keeping him on the roster and on the salary cap

was impossible to even attempt to replace and i do want to point out oh their their second half of the season they weren't you know win any awards for but they they were solid right they weren't bad um And I think that is super encouraging for 2026, obviously before this news. But when we talk about what can they do, what's happening, they can put them on the season ending injured list. I'd be shocked if they didn't. Doing that opens up a DP spot. And now the galaxy get the chance to add another DP,

which this team adding Jacob Glassness in a trade with the Philadelphia Union, signing Justin Hacken free agency, and potentially adding another DP, I still think that they're going to be one of the better teams in the West. Before the pooch injury, like when I thought he was. playing 2026, I would have been really strong on this take. I would have put them pretty close to LAFC, probably ahead of Seattle. And now I'm not totally sure, but I still think it's going to be a very good team.

So the one thing to point out here is Ricky Pugge is under contract through 2027. Peck is under contract past that. And Payne Still's under contract through 27 as well, which is if they do, and it feels like the wording here, and I think you can tell coming out of the arrangement, original injury, the wording was, we're going to see him back next year and now they already jump in the release to 27 is the assumption that he will be on that season ending injury list. Whatever move the galaxy make, they're going to have to find a way to get out of. So whether that's a one year alone, or if it's a player they bring in and then,

and this is a thing you can do, which is fine, which is, and then we'll just figure it out next year. All of these players can have value outside of the club. There's different ways to move guys around. Just that's one thing to note in all of this, which is it may not just be the galaxy saying, all right, let's go get the best 10 we can get, and let's go get the best game changer, because you're assuming push comes back into the team next year, so that player either will have to fit with him, or you'll have to find a way to get that player out of your team, or, I don't know, maybe we all get lucky and someone decides, actually, you can spend as much as you want on MLS players, and you can build whatever Ross you think.

What do you think the odds of that being the one of all the scenarios I just created? Much more likely the Gabriel Pek gets sold. Okay, cool. And so in the last thing to put here is the Glessness move I like. Justin Hacks signed with this team as a free agent. You mentioned that. He was one of the most coveted free agents in MLS. We've talked about him.

Early prime, what it's 24. Yeah, show after show, domestic doesn't take an international spot. It's capped how much you can spend on him. He signed a one year deal with a club option with this club. That seems very odd for someone who's highly coveted. where other people would have offered more stability. So there's the small chance that he says, oh, I just want to go play and prove myself again

to again be capped in what I can make in MLS or leave. But this seems like a bit of an odd deal. Yeah, it's interesting. In like NBA free agency, these are five-year deals in MLS because there's a lot of rules. I think you're open for interpretation that this is a one-year deal for one of the most coveted free agents. um miles robinson signed a one plus one and now he's a dp these are just things that have

happened to free agency right um and in saying this the galaxy could re-sign him on a bigger contract after this year without he's a re-sign player without being a free agent correct correct so it's interesting one to watch another thing to watch just amel garces tough year i think he'd be better alongside glessness i think hack's been at his best in a back three there might be a formation shift in there for the galaxy, that might also be a way that you cover for the loss of Ricky Bruges. Can you go three at the back? Can you allow some wingbacks to be more aggressive, maybe play with more numbers consistently high up the field? It would change your style potentially, slightly, but it might be an answer to some of this. Yeah, or even if it's like you're defending

out of a four, Justin Hack is your number six and maybe Serio becomes a little of a box-to-box guy. and then when you're in possession, hack drops as the central defender and is the one distributing. And then you have two in the middle and then the both fullbacks go. But yeah, I just freaking awesome signing.

And I think he's another player that just fits that team perfectly. Let's go through some of these big ones as well. Lewis Montino didn't see a pronunciation guide on this release. DC United Club record signing, $7 million signing for 23-year-old Romanian international center phone.

from Kluge in the Romanian League, 23 goals to assist two years ago in a golden boot season. I think 12 goals last year comes in now alongside Tai Baribo. Christian Benteke has officially signed in the UAE with a team over there. I think his family lives over there

from remembering conversations we had with him in the past. And so this is now the front line for DC United. Tommy, it's a bold move out the gates for a guy. with very little track record from a league that, you know, doesn't have a huge connection so far to MLS, but this is the shot that D.C. United is choosing to take.

Yes. I, um, context matters for everything, right? I think of this was their first signing of the offseason. We would have looked at it a lot different. After you bring in Ty Bribo, who, as we said, we think, you know, maybe he's not going to be like, oh my God, that's the best forward in the league. You feel really, really confident.

that there's a high floor there. And, like, D.C. United at the moment needs a lot of guys with high floors. I like, really, really like the Sean Neal signing. I like the Sean Johnson signing. They keep the number one overall pick. They sign, they bring it a defender. Whether he's ready to start or not right away, who knows, right? But that's just another person.

Like, all of those things, I think, are pretty high floor, solid, if unspectacular, moves. So now I don't mind taking the big swing on this player. Again, if this was this and then you signed, you know, four guys from from random leagues like a lot a lot maybe like a Brazilian out of the Polish league something like that so so to have like I feel really confident I know what we're getting with Sean Johnson I feel really confident I know what we're getting with Ty Berebo I feel really confident I know what we're getting with Sean Neeles so I don't mind this move I I understand the questions on on the fee and the track record and um he's coming from a league where

Alexandria Matrita is the best player yeah or one of the best players which doesn't inspire a ton of confidence? That doesn't mean this guy won't be good. Why does it that inspire confidence? I saw some other people say this. Wasn't he good? Isn't he a good soccer player retreat to? It's fine. I thought he was good. He just didn't want to be in six years ago. Yeah, but he, yes, but he just didn't want to be an MLS. I mean, he was on loan for like five years from NYCFC. It was like the craziest situation. Oh, he's actually plays in China now. There you go. Regardless, it's funny. I was even saying that as like, I, more or less I get why people were asked questions about this,

but I'm good with it being a roll of dice because, man, you spend $7 million in the Brazilian League. Like, you think that that money might go further. You think that that might have a higher floor. Nothing's guaranteed. If you spend that money on a player in England from the championship, you spend that money in France or Italy, it's no guarantee.

So I think that's just my point, that they did enough, like, high floor and I mean this endearingly and not as a shot. Like, slightly boring signings in a very, very good way because you know what you're getting. from those guys. There's no mystery for Sean Johnson, Tai Bribo, and Sean Neos, and that is very good.

They also added Japanese veteran left wingback Kurokawa. Obviously Schnegg was brought in last year. He's still on the books for at least this year on $700,000 which a little bit tough. And I would say this team still needs an improvement in

central midfield. That's the last spot you're really looking at and expecting them to make a move. Otherwise, other stuff would just be bonus on top of that. But as you said, it's been fairly productive for DC United so far. Let's go to the coaching side of things. We, you know, none of these are as breaking news, although Raphael Wickey becoming official, I guess technically is, you know, super cool walkout video.

Looked at the camera, put on the shades. Always has been. Loved him as a player at Chivas USA, by the way. Might give us an opportunity to achieve us USA retrospective here at soccer wise at some point this year. If you guys are in the mood for that, let us know. It's something I would love to do. But Raphael Wickey becomes official with Sporting Kansas City. Henrik Rydstrom is officially now taking over for Wilfred Nonsei with the Columbus crew,

although maybe if they'd waited a week, they could have just brought Nonsei back. And Michael Bradley has officially taken over the New York Red Bulls as the head coach had his first press conference yesterday, I think it was. Me and you were both watching on YouTube, or I was, enjoying it from afar. Let's start with Wiki. You've been on this for a while. It's been the one name. It sounds like they've been consistently on the whole time.

And so they eventually get their guy across the line. And David Lee makes his first real big move because there has been rostered silence for this team. There has indeed. Yeah, this is an interesting one. I like the move. I believe Vicky 100% deserved another chance in MLS. That wasn't the Gailog Heights-led Chicago Fire independent. season.

It wasn't a good tenure. It was only like 18 months. And again, his only full season was the pandemic shortened season under what I believe to be the worst front office in MLS over the last, what, seven to ten years? I don't know. Maybe you have something else at the time you had. If they're not the worst, they were next to it. We did just talk about D.C. United.

Fair. Then what couldn't get much worse is, is my point. You think they'll bring Shakiri to SKC? That was probably. This had a hot season in Switzerland. A stipulation for Rafaiki. And also, we need Ignacio Ali Seda and Hiro Torres, the $6 million, air quote, attacker that didn't have any goals or an assist. Me and McHalee Giannone were both fooled by that one.

Woof. Wolf. Yeah. And also, they decided to wait two months for him to come because he was so very worth it. All of that being said, while Vicki didn't do good in that job, I'm not believing me. Like, I think he should get a clean slate and start again, right? So for SKC, for fans, I think you just completely disregard that. You look at what he did with BSC Young Boys in Switzerland.

He was the United States U-17 head coach. Again, these things don't guarantee success, but like I'm not, I'm just completely erasing the Chicago tenure from his resume in this conversation. Yeah, and Bobby walked us through it with Mike Yvarez last year when he was hired by San Diego, and we sort of went through the checklist of, I mean, you can see from these three names. Michael Bradley has four months of coaching experience in his career, and that's at a MLS Next Pro level. Henrik Rydstrom is a super interesting name, and we'll talk about in just a moment, but has no experience in North America and has never played or coached here. And so there is a limit to the amount of options there are.

And if you think Wiki's the guy, I think your point is fair, which is we can't tell off the Chicago experience. the reason Chicago hired him is going to be similar to the reason SKC hired him, that he understands the North American player. He's been around it. He's been around U.S. soccer. He's been around the league. He's played in it. And he has a lot of really good soccer ideas.

And so I think it should be exciting for SKC fans, one that it's done and the name that they landed on. Let's do Michael Bradley in this as well, because this is another one we knew. And we've talked about it's what we expected, him and Julian de Guzman talking about what they want, the club to be changing a little bit but michael bradley i think my takeaway from what he talked about was his excitement and i think his opportunity to be really integrated into the red bull system like he mentioned after getting hired initially not announced but in a hired he spent time at lyffering he spent time at salzburg he spent time in leipsic he spent time with clop like he has talked with all these people about what red bull stands for and what it is um and it seems

like he's pretty excited to become a part of this. Yeah, for sure. I really, really like this higher. I'm not worried whether he's not ready. If there was somebody who's ready to be a player coach at age 24, it was Michael Bradley. I was on his introductory press conference. When he says things like,

I will commit my absolute life to this club, I completely believe him. when Julian de Guzman is saying I show up at the facility at 7.30 the morning, Michael's already there. I'm leaving 7.30 at night. Michael's still there. I believe that.

And again, this doesn't... Did you hear him say that he's running sprint? I was... That was what I was building towards is that at one point, de Guzman is sitting in his office and he turns and you oversee the training fields. And there's somebody running wind sprints,

18 to 18. And De Guzman's like, oh, that's cool. Somebody's here early for preseason, good for them. And then he looks towards. he goes, oh, wait a minute, that's Michael Bradley. That's the head coach. We might have to do a front office coaching staff, like 5V5 MLS power rankings. I assume de Guzman and Michael Bradley will finish pretty high on that list.

Yeah, if you're talking about a tandem, that's a great point. And we're talking now, by the way. We're not talking all time at their peaks. We're talking in 2020. If you told me Michael Bradley was going to start 20 games for the Red Bulls in midfield this season, I'd be like sweet, good signing. So again, he's 38 years old. He's like the third youngest head coach.

He's not the youngest head coach in the league because Eric Ramsey, I think he's 34. Matt Wells, Colorado Rap is 37. So, um, and he coached TFC for like two and a half years. He sat, like, he sat in on, on coaches meetings with Danny. Like, he's long known he wanted to be a head coach. He went and was an assistant under his father, Bob Bradley at Staubach. He was briefly an assistant under Jesse Marsh, um, with Toronto. And then he had half a season as the second team head coach for Red Bulls.

If the Red Bulls didn't hire him right now, they were never going to be able to hire him. because by next season, I promise you somebody else would have. So I'd like this time. Okay. There's the head coach. Kate Cowell brought in Alexander Hack agreeing to a mutual contract termination, which feels like a good move for the Red Bulls to get off of his deal and bring in the right next set of players.

But there's a lot of openings in this team. Goalkeeper, centerback, some options in central midfield, maybe a third DP, another attacker. They've obviously lost Lewis Morgan. There's a lot of question marks on this roster for the Red Bulls that we need to say get filled. And then the last one, Henrik Rydstrom, which is the most fascinating one, replacing replacing Wilfred Nancy in Columbus. He's been the head coach at Malmo, the biggest team in the country since 2023, back-to-back league titles. His second year, they won the double, both league and

Cup, set a bunch of records for wins, total wins in a season, points per game, goals per game, stuff like that. And now he comes over to the Columbus crew. If you haven't seen much about him, we don't have enough time right now to go fully into it. But he's got ideas. He's got ideas that are different than some other people. He's got ideas that maybe are exactly the same, but worded differently. And everyone thinks that's really cool. He is a unique hire, but I think it actually fits into the mold, which is, to me, he's a thinker.

He's an outside-the-box thinker. And that's what Columbus had with Doncee. And I think that's what they wanted. Yeah. And nobody's Wolfrenonse, and nobody, like, there is not another Henrik Radstrom. You just please go look up. He did a really, really interesting interview with Sky Sports, I believe in 24. And he talked about his philosophies on the field, off the field.

He was, I believe that there was something like, you know, Radstrom would, if he could argue with himself, he would. Or whatever, like when he was played. He made 800 appearances for the same club in Sweden. Youth Academy came through and then ended up coaching with them. Just incredible. and so like again Nancy's a one of one this guy is a one of one like

but he's going to be much more in the realm of Nancy than it will be a Caleb Porter style or you know I just use that because he was the head coach before Nancy he talks about like relationism and I think his like big

quote was yeah you know we were taught like when you're in defense you want to have structure more players like closer to the ball and stuff and then he said well what if we attack like that too and we could do quick combinations and things like that. So I'm very, very excited to see what this looks like. Again, I am optimistic about it because I don't see a reason to be pessimistic.

Like, he has a good resume, uh, resume pedigree. But like, if this doesn't work out, it's going to be super interesting. Yeah. Um, if you're a crew fan that doesn't bring much solids. But for you and me, I love hires like this. He, um, he won with Malmo. He was in the running. It was stated from the outside for the Brighton job while he was with Malmo, uh, ended up

getting let go and then was available. he's like all over the map he's like a literature i think masters he's writing stuff about old music whatever it is he's got some political bent to him this i don't know on the scale between vandy sartini and wilfr anise he falls somewhere in there and might be a lot of both and yeah i think this is as you said this is going to be entertaining it's going to be interesting but for columbus i think they still need their coach to be a potential match winner for them which means something outside of the norm and not just can you keep the train on the tracks i just don't know that they are a big enough team right now to do that without coo jernandez and the talent that they had at that

time and so that's what this signing feels like all right let's go into some players before we get out of here let's not with my god robin fucking load free agent huge blockbuster move you told me it wouldn't happen no chance he's leaving minnesota he can't move i said to the to the chicago fire. I talked to Greg Boralter sitting in his gamer chair as he loves to do after eight hours of playing FIFA. Yeah. Did you imagine what I said to take the time with us? Didn't even allude to it. Didn't allude to the fact that he was about to change the landscape of Major League Soccer. But this was a no, what I said with him, like Espinoza, there's a no-brainer signing for any team in my mind. I think he's good enough to be a borderline DP. He is not on a DP contract. He's going to

fit in seamlessly. I think he'll fit with Zincrenagle. I think he'll fit. I think he'll fit. with Kuypers. He could play on the wing. He can play centrally. He just makes your team better. Yeah. And so like with Andre Franco out for probably half the season, give or take, depending on when he recovers from his ACL, is a pretty damn good insurance policy slash the overqualified insurance policy, right? Like he's a starting level player, obviously, in his league. So really, really good signing. Chicago, I think, had a very good offseason. Let's go into Minnesota then. They lose Robin Ludd. They've lost Dane St. Clair. And then they've gone out and picked up, so Drake Calendar, which I have to continue reading

these press releases, because I do not understand how much money Drake Calendar is worth right now in MLS and where it ends up. But they acquire him from Charlotte. And then they've also acquired Thomas Chonkalai and a $100,000 cash fare from the New England Revolution, which is basically nothing as a sort of flyer on a player who has the potential to be a difference maker. but this is a lot of production and talent that Minnesota has to replace. Yes.

I like the calendar move. I was surprised that he ended up at Charlotte. He was surprised he ended up at Charlotte. I'll just say that much when it was very clear they didn't need a starting goalkeeper. So I'm glad that he's going to Minnesota and I think he'll fit in with that team. It's a very, very good shot stopper. That's what this team needs. And I'm excited about.

I think that that is realistically the best that, they could have done on the market, again, with known options, right? I can't, I don't know every goalkeeper that maybe could have came to MOS. In terms of relative options, I really, really like the signing for them. Thomas Shankly, it's pretty much no risk. $100,000 cash for, and I think he's on, last year he was paid a million in salary. So, again, even if he doesn't work out, like, that's not ideal, but it's, that's not something that kills your season.

No, except they need to replace Robin Ludd's production. and they need to replace some of what they got from O'Sala. It's like, I agree with you on a contract side, but on a talent side and like roster side, this team probably needs to take a step from last year anyway and to start this offseason they've taken two steps back. So they're still, I think, working to get back to what they were. Sure.

Well, I will say Strausberg hired somebody who wasn't Eric Ramsey and that's a win. And like from Minnesota. And I mean that completely genuinely, particularly at this time of the year, would have been difficult to, all right, the coaching cycle already happened. And again, I'm certain that Minnesota have guys that it's not going to be surprised whenever Ramsey does leave, right?

I'm certain that they have an evolving shortlist and that they would try to move as quickly as they could. But losing somebody who I believe to be one of the best head coaches in the league days before preseason would stink. So their floor is going to be pretty high with this coach and with the structure. They, more than anything else, they need to replace Tanya, say. Yeah. Yeah.

I don't think Kelvin, like, while, like, again, particularly now knowing that a straight calendar, even more so than than before we knew who they were going to sign to replace Danes and Claire, I think more, much more than Robin Ludd and Joseph Rosales, like the goal score is what they need the most. And whether that is Choncalae or if they're going to dip back into the DP market, we'll see. Chon Colli missing most of last year with an injury popped when he first came to MLS on loan. Can stretch the field and score goals a little bit, can beat guys one. he won, like, is a dangerous player, and I think showed that in a somewhat similar system to what's being played now. So the revs step away from Sean Kallai.

They've also signed Ethan Kohler, the New England Revolution. USU 20 starter at the World Cup, obviously knows Mirkovich because he played under him, looking for an opportunity after leaving USL to go to Europe and now trying to become a starter for the first time in his career. Let's get through a couple of these ones that have happened over the last few weeks. Philadelphia has finally sold Kai Wagner after four years of saying they would or saying they won't or whatever it is. Kai Wagner is finally on the move. He is headed to Birmingham City in England.

Tom Brady, mate. Into the championship. He could potentially play quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders who are paying $50 million to coaches who won't coach their team. If they fired, did they fire Pete Carroll yet? Did you have that breaking news for me? Yeah. They owe him $16 million.

They owe all the other. coaches they fired who are still on the... Are they still playing Link, Kiff? Pretty much. They're playing Sean McDon, all these guys. They're paying them $50 million. So maybe Birmingham City can steal a little that money off Tom Brady and use it on Kai Wagner.

This comes off the back of Jakub Glessness being sent to the LA Galaxy, Tybarillo being sent to D.C. United. They have brought in Surrey Larson a 25-year-old. Sources, say, and the only true source. that they've brought him in, a 25-year-old centerback coming over from Brand and Finn Sundstrom, a teenager from North Carolina FC who started a ton of games in the U.S.L championship last year. Yep. And listen, I should be careful the way I say this because it's Philly.

And if somebody comes in with the right offer, they usually move them no matter what. I feel pretty confident. McCona is still going to be here. I don't think that you sell Glessness and McCona in the same winter, even if you're the Philadelphia Union, but maybe I should be maybe I should be careful on that one.

And then we'll see like they've already brought in a new club record signing center forward to Zico Aldo. Bruno Damiani, his second year and he's a young rising player. This is this is going to be the biggest test

of the Philadelphia Union way of the game model of everything else of we can do it with literally anybody. Let's move to one that breaks my heart. Ali Abbot will not be playing in major league soccer this year one of my favorite players in the league unbelievable story cut from toronto fc came back through the vancouver white caps two team into the first team is now probably a starter for the canadian national team uh was one of the best players over the course of this

historic season for the white caps and ended up a starter in mLS cup and now we'll be going to norwich city in the relegation battle in the champo sounds like the number is what somewhere between between $1 and $2 million for this Vancouver team? I believe it's north of two. I believe it's somewhere in the region of 2 or 2.5, but I don't know that for sure. Dollars, not pounds, mate. So this goes on top of Jaden Nelson,

who has been traded away for this Vancouver team. We talked about it coming out of the regular season. They couldn't afford to re-sign everyone. The assumption is Sebastian Burrhalter will stay, or has that been made official in anywhere? I can't even think, right? I don't have any up-to-date info, but my last time I asked people about it several weeks ago was I just assumed so but this is a big one like he's a special player he's a skeleton key I think at times can pay play centrally is really good 1 v1 on the outside played left back when he first came through for this team and finished out wide left so it's a big loss for this Vancouver group it feels like they walk away with a good deal here like you're getting some real money in that you can go and respend and he doesn't

move inside of MLS so he can't hurt you in the other direction like a J. Nelson kept. So, um, Ali Ahmed was out of contract in a year so that informs why this move had to happen now. Um, Colorado Rapids before they signed Dante, he was on their list. I don't know how serious was talked. I would have loved that. Um, but they ended up with Dante Seeley. Um, so there were contract talks between Ali Ahmed and the white caps. And I really like this player, too. But in the salary cap league, things get difficult and, and people, have different expectations and negotiating points. I don't know that this is how they saw it, but if it came down to, we can only pay

one of Burrhalter or Ali Ahmed. For me, it's Burrhalter. Yeah, I think that's fair. The way he affects the game, what he has become for this team, I think that's a fair statement to make. I, if I was a different MLS team, I would offer Ali Ahmed that contract. Like if I'm not the white caps where I'm in this crunch now where it's how do I pay him and Blackman and all these different guys and how do I reset this roster?

If I was a different MLS team, I would go out and give Ali Adman, what are we talking about? Max Tam? Like, is that the conversation we're having? I wouldn't, but maybe that's what he's asking. I don't know exactly what he was asking for. Yeah. I'm certain. I mean, asking for something and getting into two different things.

For sure. Like, if I was an agent, I'd probably start there. But who knows. So, but for Vancouver, they've done this before, right? They did it if he did. They're going to get something out of it and not let him. run down the contract. This is what you get. And it's unfortunate timing-wise because if he goes and starts in the World Cup, he's going to be worth more in six months than he is right now.

But that wasn't the reality of his contract situation that Vancouver could hang on. And I think Vancouver should have some confidence that they went out, they found Nelson, they were able to rehab him. They went out that got Brian White. They've brought Emmanuel Sabby into this team. Like, they've done this before. And if you look at this Canadian January camp roster, like it's two of the young attacking Vancouver guys who are going to get big opportunities under Jesse Mars because there is a belief that they could be special for this team. Let's go to Orlando here. A lot going on in Orlando.

A little bit of chaos, Tom. Get us up to date. Woof. So this is over the last couple weeks. Carlos Cornell agreed to a deal, did his medical, was at the club, and then all of a sudden just stopped answering him and his agent, stopped answering when docs were being signed are supposed to be signed. And all of a sudden, he shows up in Brazil.

He shows up in Brazil without a word to Orlando. So Orlando had to pivot. They end up signing Maxine Crapeau. And now they have their goalie. They'll call those Cornell. I don't think that if there was ever scenario in which Carlos Cornell came and played in Orlando, not going to be received very well. I'll tell you that much.

Orlando was also acquired midfield of Brian Ojeda from Real Salt Lake for $1.2 million in GAM plus a selling percentage. He signed a new deal. I like the signing for them. I thought that they were set in the midfield once with Cartagena, with their U-22 initiative, Luis Otavio, and some other options that they already had there to replace Aroujo. But this is a good signing, and this is, like, obviously, Edward Atwest is still there.

And now they have three starting level players for those two spots, plus a U-22 initiative player who's very talented, and we'll see, you know, what he looks like immediately, what he looks like in a few months. and so and so forth. So they're really well covered there. There are reports coming out of South America that Luis Moriel just might be in Columbia,

a junior FC. I'm told that there's smoke here, that there's nothing done. There's nothing being finalized. But this is one to monitor. And that departure would open up a DP spot, which is what they've been planning slash hoping for this winter. Again, not done.

Nothing's there. But this report is not bullshit. it is there there's true to it do you think if it opens up that spot and this is huge this is literally happening right now we're getting a couple comments in the chat like whatever's happening in columbia he is posting pictures whatever's going on because we're getting all these questions all across the board do you think they'd use that spot on a center forward it's a good question um i wouldn't to be clear my my question there is that it felt like they logjam themselves now they've gotten out of it Duncan mcguire

is good enough to be a starting center forward in MLS. Go out and get a winger across from Posolich and make that your starting front three. Yeah, I could see. And like they spent, I believe, $4 million on Tiago, Brazilian U-22ndifster signing. He could play center forward. He can play in the wing.

It's difficult to know where their thought processes or it's difficult to know for sure, even if their thought is correct or not. If they think Tiago is ready to give you minutes at center forward this year, then I'm 100% with you. Go out of winger. goal scoring type winger, or maybe, like, again, you have goal scores that O'Haden, Pass Litch.

No, but I agree. Go get a winger, play Yvonne and Gulo at left back, what he should be playing for the last three years, and then Poppy can be happy, and I can be happy. Again, but, but. But if Tiago isn't ready to play through the center and Duncan McGuire goes cold or gets injured, you're really, really light. So I think that's the only hesitation I'd have, but like, I agree with you in that. Like, I don't, I wouldn't want to.

put it in a situation where it's Duncan McGuire or a new DP-9 just like that they kind of had with Muriel and and who's Kurt who is the Ramira no oh I was going to say Ramira Enrique yeah but there was a DP Ercon Ircon Ircon Carra was it Carra that's it yeah we got there we got there in the end this is what happens when we go 90 minutes we're gaming by the end we got to get we got to get out of here but so so the point there is is that they shouldn't do that again but um that that's a better problem to have then oh shoot duncan mcguire uh separated shoulder and is out for three months and we have 25 games and can't add anybody i mean the separated

shoulder thing oh that's a was twice twice fair fair i disagree with both you and side quest here by the way side cuss says Orlando fleeced rsl um you said that as well i think there's a lot no no no sorry you like this i don't like this move for rlando i don't think he fits it's next to Atuesta. I don't think the two of them win enough tackles and cover enough ground. And so if it's Cartagena, fine, but you still haven't replaced what you lost in Araujia. And you do so with $1.2 million in GAM out the door, which I think is a lot to give up for a guy who I don't think fits perfectly.

If the idea is maybe Atalesta won't be around, and that's the role you're trying to fill with him, maybe I'm a little more interested, but I still think you take a step back, and it's not amazing. Let me hit RSL real quick. They are working on a loan deal for a Taylor Booth with an option to buy. That's been announced today. Oh, look at us on today moves, which I think is a nice chance to take. He was in their academy back in the day.

You've chance. Yeah, has put up some numbers in Europe as well. And then what do you want to add to this? They've signed Chance Cowell from the San Jose earthquakes. The brother, Kate Cowell, 17 years old. I'm imagining that he's going to get minutes with particularly beginning season with Real Monarchs and then see if he can break into the first team.

Real Salt Lake has been really, really good at if you play well for the second team, you will get chances in the first team. I think they've been pursuing him for a while as a player that they wanted to originally bring into their academy and then couldn't. Speaking of homegrown, FC Cincinnati has signed two homegrowns.

They're finalizing the deal to sell Luca Orsano to Monterey. We talked about all that. Before we went away and Kyle Smith, a local has re-signed, which good depth signing for them. And then the last one, oh, yeah, signed. And then the last one here, Owen Wolf, as if he was signed

the U-22 initiative deal. I mean, I've been rumoring Owen Wolf to other places for what, nine months, and then I get slapped across the face with a big U-22 initiative deal. Yeah, let me let me tell you, if there wasn't a new contract, this was not going to be a

good situation. So he was under contract for another couple years. He's very obviously outplayed that. And there were teams that made like official offers as they should and i think that there was 15 might have been ready to do the same so owen wolf was a was a um this was a story that never really got out in terms of like hey if if austin will listen here's a lot of money like he was the best player we i said this he was the best player on the team he was not paid anywhere near that if i was a different mLS team i'd go and say hey not only can i commentate you

I could put an environment around you for you to succeed and then you could potentially push into the national team and all of that. So they get the money done and it's a pretty good step for this Austin FC team. I am curious what this means for the weirdo who's been in our comments for three years saying he was a nepotism play for Josh Wolf.

So I don't know. Josh Wolf's not there. Guy got a U-22 initiative deal because he's really freaking good at soccer. These are the people who were telling us Michael Bradley was a nepotism playback in 06 and 07. He's, what, a top three player in USM&T history, playing in Champions League, all that type of stuff. It's always good to have all of the voices that are available to us across our beautiful

community, but we really appreciate the people who are in our chat, especially the ones joining us live, love to see all the interaction. This was a long show because we had a lot to catch up on. As we go all through the rest of the preseason, we will have more time to answer. questions and sort of engage a little bit more, but we want to get through as much of this news as we possibly could. So thank you to all of you for listening. Tom, we appreciate all the work you're doing. Keep it up. I can't wait for the next text at 1130, 12 o'clock. Microphone companies, if you have anything better for Tom, you can reach out to him and appreciate all of you

and we'll talk to you again very, very soon. Thank you.