Kick Off: Revs make moves, KC want respect
FC Dallas are also set to unveil three new additions to the club
The New England Revolution are joining the transfer window party with a couple of new signings of their own. The club will add two new attacking players for the season’s stretch run and they arrive next week.
Two young DP talents joined MLS clubs for their first training session on Thursday. Mexican Nery Castillo, at 26 years of age, trained with the Fire while 24-year-old Alvaro Fernandez worked out in Seattle, fresh off the 2010 World Cup.
Seattle GM Adrian Hanauer provides some background to the signing of World Cup midfielder Fernandez and how the signing impacts the Sounders’ roster.
At Castillo’s press conference on Thursday in Chicago, the player revealed what could have been the tipping point to his acquisition: Fire manager Carlos de los Cobos was a teammate of his father’s.
Talent is not just being imported by MLS teams. D.C. United may have found another goalkeeper gem through their academy as Dakota Niedermeier saved five consecutive penalty kicks in his team’s hoisting of the Under-17 Cup.
The talent is just exploding through the youth ranks. FC Dallas are expected to announce three signings on Friday, all out of the club’s junior program.
Meanwhile, one MLS Cup contender was about to bring back a blast from the past until injury postponed that move.
The Red Bulls have another league veteran who is likely to be squeezed out of the squad with the two new DP signings. But he still wants to play.
Then there is Toronto FC midfielder Joseph Nane, from whom Preki is expecting bigger things.
New Jersey native Giuseppe Rossi scored a hat trick for Villarreal in a 4-1 exhibition victory over Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. Another Mexican forward got on the board for an EPL team in consecutive days as Giovani dos Santos found the back of the net for Spurs.
Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, who scored in his Manchester United debut against the MLS All-Stars, will again be the star of the show as the Red Devils play the final match of their North American tour at Chivas Guadalajara tonight in the opening of the new Estadio Omnilife (10 p.m. ET, ESPN Deportes).
Manchester United may have left the USA, but the KC Wizards are still looking to ride the momentum from their 2-1 win over the Red Devils, since manager Peter Vermes believes there is no respect for his team.
Real Madrid is the latest club to arrive on US soil and José Mourinho’s team is training at UCLA in preparation for two matches, including against the LA Galaxy on Aug. 7.
Fulham made it official on Thursday that they would not be hiring Bob Bradley as their new manager.
Bradley is now focusing on the upcoming US match against Brazil where he is reportedly set to name a veteran lineup early next week.
One of those players for the match at the New Meadowlands Stadium is likely to be Landon Donovan. Reports in England say that Everton are holding talks with the Galaxy to sign him permanently.
As for Americans already in Europe: former Revs defender Michael Parkhurst was involved in Europa League qualifying action on Thursday as he went a full 90 minutes in FC Nordsjaelland’s 1-0 home loss to Sporting Lisbon.
Former Real Salt Lake forward Yura Movsisyan scored two goals but they were not enough to overcome Swiss club Lausanne, who emerged 3-2 winners in the Europa League.
Lastly, Columbus Crew forward Jason Garey continues his battle to raise awareness about the impact of the oil spill in the gulf which is impacting his own family.
