There's under a week left in the European (and Mexican) winter transfer windows. It's crunch time and there are plenty of MLSers in the mix ahead of most markets closing Jan. 31.
It's been an insane month for MLS exports – just look at a few below. (And note that the Daryl Dike fee was $9.5 million. Silly typo, but you get the point!)
That list doesn't include:
- Richie Laryea to Nottingham Forest
- Rodolfo Pizarro to CF Monterrey
- Nico Figal to Boca Juniors
- Leandro Gonzalez Pirez to River Plate
- Justin Che to Hoffenheim
- Or any of the many seven-figure intra-league trades this winter
Quick note: Brazilian (April 12) and Argentine (Feb. 19) transfer windows don't close next week. But with a number of key players linked with moves to South America, it'd be silly to not include them here. Unlike European clubs, there isn't an immediate time crunch for next week.
Another note: Last year no one saw Jordan Morris (to Swansea City), Paul Arriola (also to Swansea City) or Daryl Dike (to Barnsley) happening, though they were fueled in part due to MLS' 2021 season being delayed. Still, there could be some more surprises this time around.
Taty Watch has lasted much longer than anticipated and, with less than a week left before the European window closes, an unexpected time crunch has presented itself if Castellanos will be moving to Europe.
It's been widely assumed that Castellanos would depart NYCFC this winter, with the club rejecting a $12.5 million bid from Brazil's Palmeiras (as first reported by ESPN's Jeff Carlisle) for the Argentine forward a month ago. The Cityzens were holding out for $15 million. Still no deal, and with not much reporting on the matter of late, there are more questions than answers.
Latest reports suggest that Argentina's River Plate want to make a move for Castellanos, as they're set to move budding star Julian Alvarez to Manchester City. In Europe, Castellanos has been loosely linked with English clubs, but nothing too strong. He was previously thought to be a target of Italy's Fiorentina, which may heat back up now as they're in the process of selling star striker Dusan Vlahovic to Juventus.
Castellanos is in preseason with his NYCFC teammates. The club could have him stick around for the beginning of the season, make a push at the Concacaf Champions League and reevaluate offers in the summer, a more active market for European clubs. A month ago I wrote that "it'd be borderline shocking for Castellanos to be on NYCFC's roster on February 1." The idea isn't looking so "borderline shocking" now.
The 23-year-old just wrapped up a career year in which he won the MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi, with 19 goals and eight assists in the regular season, then helped NYCFC win MLS Cup 2021 over Portland.
Musical chairs. Where will Castellanos be once the music stops?
Adam Buksa looks set to continue his stay with the New England Revolution, as the transfer market for the Poland international striker wasn't as robust as one might imagine this winter.
Italian Serie B club Pisa was linked with a potential big-money move for Buksa, but ESPN's Taylor Twellman downplayed those reports.
Buksa looks likely to stick around until at least the summer unless a big offer comes in late. The Revs should be a strong contender in the Concacaf Champions League this winter and spring; the defending Supporters' Shield winners are drawn against Haiti's Cavaly AS.
The 25-year-old Designated Player had 16 goals and four assists in 31 appearances (21 starts) last year, a breakout campaign after a slow first season in MLS in 2020. Firmly with the Polish national team now, there should be more chances in the summer if he keeps scoring goals.
As first reported by Twellman and advanced by MLSsoccer.com, Premier League giants Arsenal made a bid for reigning Allstate MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Matt Turner in the region of what Manchester City paid to get Zack Steffen from Columbus (he was transferred for around $7 million initially with another $3 million in incentives).
Turner, 27, has spoken of a desire to play in Europe and has a Lithuanian passport. Last January, he signed a contract extension with New England. He has enjoyed a meteoric rise in MLS, making 97 starts with the Revs and breaking into the US men's national team after beginning his career as an undrafted free agent.
Arsenal are likely to move back-up goalkeeper Bernd Leno, either now or in the summer, with reports saying he's pushing for a move to Newcastle. Turner would likely slot in as the second choice behind starter Aaron Ramsdale.
Will another bid from Arsenal arrive? We'll see. These things often come down to the wire.
This one moved quickly.
VfL Wolfsburg had an offer just north of $7 million accepted by D.C. United for Paredes this week, The Athletic's Pablo Maurer reported and MLSsoccer.com advanced, with the left wingback heading to Germany for a medical to complete the move. Maurer also reported the deal includes a 10% sell-on clause for D.C.
Paredes was a target of Austria's RB Salzburg and on the radar of Manchester City/City Football Group. The 18-year-old US youth international made 41 MLS appearances, including 24 last season as he became a regular under head coach Hernan Losada.
Wolfsburg, as you may remember, came close to acquiring USMNT forward Ricardo Pepi from FC Dallas earlier this winter, but he signed with fellow Bundesliga side FC Augsburg.
You know how I wrote at the top "there could be more surprises?" That was before the Gabriel Slonina news broke. So here's one of the first surprises starting to matriculate.
Fabrizio Romano reported several Premier League clubs are interested in the 17-year-old goalkeeper. Sources confirmed the interest to MLSsoccer.com but stressed no offer has been tabled yet.
It would take a hefty price for Chicago to agree to a deal at the moment and it would almost exclusively need to include a loan-back clause for Slonina to spend 2022 with the Fire, where he will be their starter.
Slonina signed his first professional contract at 14 years old and became Chicago's starter in 2021, making 11 appearances and keeping four clean sheets for a team near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.
The future is bright. A bunch of clubs have him on their radar.
If Atlanta United are to sign Argentine wonderkid Thiago Almada as is overwhelmingly expected, one DP would have to leave. Barco has always been the DP that made the most sense, given Venezuelan striker Josef Martinez (you know, he's Josef) and Brazilian winger Luiz Araujo (just signed in the summer) are the other two.
A deal for Barco is getting close.
After reports of offers and interest from Brazil, CL Merlo and The Athletic's Felipe Cardenas note that Barco is nearing a move to River Plate. It seems likely the talks are over a loan with a purchase option. This would solve Atlanta's DP situation.
Barco, 22, has 17g/17a in 81 MLS appearances over the last four years after joining Atlanta in a then-league-record transfer from Independiente (reported $15 million). He just concluded his best statistical campaign, with 7g/8a in 25 appearances, though pure talent suggests there's more to come after an inconsistent run with ATLUTD.
He would also become the third (!) MLS player to join River this month alone, following defender Leandro Gonzalez Pirez (Inter Miami CF) and midfielder Tomas Pochettino (Austin FC).
Seemingly bi-annually these days, Brian Rodriguez is linked with a move away from LAFC.
The latest on the 21-year-old winger this winter is that Brazilian club Internacional were interested in securing a loan move, as Rodriguez hopes to increase his form ahead of the World Cup in November. Not much to speak of on this front of late, but there is plenty of time given the window is open until April.
Rodriguez has been reported with European interest in the past, including a loan stint to Spanish Segunda Division side UD Almeria last spring.
Like Barco, Rodriguez hasn't quite lived up to the expectations that his pedigree and talent seemed to promise. He has 6g/9a in 41 MLS appearances but is still a rising Uruguayan international with innate talent that should dictate a market.
After losing the starting center forward spot to Brian White, a potential move away from Vancouver made sense for Cavallini. But at the time of writing, interest from Mexico and Europe has not produced real offers, so it's looking more likely Cavallini will stay with Vancouver.
Cavallini, 29, hasn't quite found form after being acquired as the Whitecaps' club-record signing in 2020. The Canadian international and Designated Player has nine goals and one assist in 39 appearances (30 starts) over two seasons.
Like the European windows, Liga MX's transfer window closes on Feb. 1. Given Cavallini's past success in Mexico – he was last at Puebla – it was assumed as a likely landing spot.
Here's what sporting director Axel Schuster had to say on the subject when asked as preseason opened:
“Interest is also there in Lucas Cavallini,” Schuster told media. "That doesn’t mean we feel comfortable with that interest. That doesn’t mean we are up to do the first deal. We expect Lucas to come back stronger and better. It’s not about us, we are not shopping him around... if somebody wants to sign Lucas, it’s not us taking a decision here, it would be other parties. I would have to get convinced by somebody and right now nobody is convincing me.”
Essentially: Vancouver are open to moving him if the offer is right. If not, Vancouver are happy for him to stay.
Colorado Rapids center back Auston Trusty has been the subject of interest from Europe over the last year. And at one point earlier this winter, it looked like a move was coming to fruition.
There's been nothing concrete yet, though in the summer Colorado rejected a transfer offer from an unnamed club for Trusty. The Rapids have already moved Sam Vines to Royal Antwerp and Cole Bassett to Feyenoord over the last year (both homegrowns), while Kellyn Acosta was traded to LAFC.
Trusty, 23, was a mainstay with the Rapids, who finished first in the Western Conference last year. He started 33 of their 34 games and found himself on some Best XI ballots (including my own).
Rapids EVP & general manager Padraig Smith discussed Trusty's future during a press conference last week:
“There’s certainly a lot of interest in Auston," Smith told media. "He is obviously away with the national team at the moment, but I certainly would hope he would be with us through this window. He’s going to be a big part of our Champions League group. We’ll have to see where it goes. As with all these young players, if the right offer comes along, we’ll have to evaluate it along with them and see if it makes sense for all parties at that time.”
