Here are the top 15 stories everyone's talking about this morning:
1. ALL-STARS DESCEND ON DENVER
With the AT&T MLS All-Star Game set for Wednesday (9 pm ET, Fox Sports 1, UniMas, TSN, RDS), the stars of the MLS roster have gathered in Denver as they get ready to take on Tottenham Hotspur. MLS Commissioner Don Garber addressed the media Monday, as did All-Star head coach Pablo Mastroeni, calling his side “the most talented group of players representing MLS." That squad made a few changes on Tuesday, due to injury.
2. DONOVAN'S COACHING DEBUT
MLS legend Landon Donovan will coach his first ever match tonight when he leads the Chipotle MLS Homegrown stars against Club America’s Under-20 side (9 pm ET, WATCH on MLSsoccer.com and MLS LIVE). The recently retired superstar sat down for a 1-on-1 interview with ExtraTime Radio and spoke about the experience so far.
3. DENVER DOWNLOAD
As with every AT&T MLS All-Star Week, there's a ton going on. Here's the jam-packed Tuesday schedule, highlighted by the Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game and the open practices. The MLS commissioner is holding a Facebook Q&A at 6 pm ET and EA Sports FIFA phenom and YouTube personality Castro is also holding a six-hour marathon from Skyline Park, taking on MLS All-Stars and Spurs players.
4. YEDLIN’S IN THE SPURS SQUAD, BUT FOR HOW LONG?
Tottenham Hotspur have named their 25-man travelling squad for the AT&T MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday, including US international DeAndre Yedlin. The former Seattle Sounder has been heavily linked with a loan move away from the EPL side this season, but Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino has suggested Yedlin could still be part of his plans.
5. DROGBA JOINS THE IMPACT
The Montreal Impact were able to secure the signing of Didier Drogba on Monday, after acquiring his rights in a trade with the Chicago Fire. And now that the Ivory Coast striker is on board, the Impact look to be closing in on their next signing as well.
6. FIRE GRAB GILBERTO
While the Chicago Fire may have traded their rights to Didier Drogba, that move did allow them to complete the signing of former Toronto FC striker Gilberto off waivers. It’s not the signing many were expecting, but as head coach Frank Yallop made it clear, it’s one that could be of greater benefit to the team.
7. VALDES AND UNION PART WAYS
The long-running Carlos Valdes saga has finally reached its end after the Philadelphia Union agreed to mutually terminate the Colombian defender’s contract on Monday in a move which could free up a considerable amount of salary cap space for the MLS side.
8. DOUBLE TROUBLE
Shaun Wright-Phillips officially joined his brother Bradley at the New York Red Bulls on Monday. Shaun, who’ll wear No.98 next to Bradley’s No.99, sat down with his brother for his first interview to discuss the reasons for his move stateside.
9. ORLANDO’S NEWEST TARGET
While one young Orlando City player was loaned out to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds over the weekend, it looks like the MLS expansion side is close to securing a new addition for the squad in the form of a Spanish defender formerly on the books at Real Madrid. Meanwhile, No. 1 draft pick Cyle Larin took the Player of the Week award after his Sunday hat trick.
10. QUAKES NEW COACHES
As Landon Donovan stated on Monday: When it comes to youth development, it’s all about the coaches, and it seems that’s something the San Jose Earthquakes believe as well, as they unveiled two new academy coaches on Monday, one of whom has over 20 caps for Brazil.
11. SILVA’S SET FOR SUCCESS
While Alvaro Saborio made an instant impact for D.C. United, Real Salt Lake will be hoping that the player they acquired in the trade, Luis Silva, can do exactly the same. The good news is that not only is Silva himself confident that he can, a number of former teammates and coaches are also backing him to make his mark.
12. EVANS FOCUSED ON THE SOUNDERS
Although the Gold Cup was a definite disappointment for US fans, Brad Evans was pleased with his own performances during the tournament and now has his sights set on trying to help get the Seattle Sounders' season back on track. Could that be made easier by a potential new signing?
13. MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS
The US are set to kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign in St. Louis this November, with their game against the winner of Aruba vs. St. Vincent & the Grenadines marking the Americans' first qualifier to be played in the city since 1989.
14. CALL-UP CONTENTION
As Jurgen Klinsmann starts preparing for those World Cup qualifiers, one of the most difficult decisions he may have to make is who will be his starting goalkeeper for the next campaign. Could the Portland Timbers' Darlington Nagbe also find himself in contention for a US cap soon enough?
15. REGGAE BOYZ DREAM OF RUSSIA
Jamaica may have fallen just short of winning a first Gold Cup but, does the fact that they made it all the way to the final give them hope for the upcoming 2018 World Cup Qualifying campaign?
MLSsoccer.com Musts
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After nearly leaving soccer, Toronto FC II’s Molham Babouli on the rise with Canadian national team
Denver: 2015 All-Star City guide
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