Report: Jefferson Farfan has MLS options after departing Lokomotiv Moscow

TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS:Report

Aug. 18

Seattle Sounders beat writer and Sports Pulso editor Niko Moreno reported on Monday night that Portland and Miami are not interested in Farfan.

Aug. 17

During the Peruvian TV program Futbol en America, journalist Erick Osores said his understanding is that Farfan has four potential MLS suitors: New York City FC, the Portland Timbers, Inter Miami CF and the Montreal Impact. The first two would see him united with Peruvian compatriots, Alexander Callens in New York and Andy Polo in Portland.

However, Impact TV broadcaster Vincent Destouches Tweeted later on Monday that, while Farfan had been offered to IMFC, there was no interest from the club's perspective, according to his sources.

Aug. 10

Upon becoming a free agent when his Lokomotiv Moscow deal ran out, Peru national team forward Jefferson Farfan is being linked with a move to Major League Soccer.

That’s the latest from Peruvian journalist Gustavo Peralta Coello, who details that Brazil could also represent the 35-year-old's next step. Paolo Guerrero, Farfan's compatriot and longtime forward partner, is now with Internacional of Brazil's Serie A.

Farfan had been with Lokomotiv Moscow since 2017 and featured in 69 matches across all competitions, highlighted by a Russian Premier League title in 2017-18. He had 25 goals and 12 assists for the club, but was out for most of the 2019-20 season with a knee injury. He also was the first player in Russia to be diagnosed with COVID-19, but has since recovered.

Farfan burst onto the scene in the early 2000s with Alianza Lima, and then became a formidable Eredivisie striker with PSV and Bundesliga one with Schalke 04. He’s also played for Al Jazira in the United Arab Emirates, scoring over 140 goals across his various European stops. 

On the international scene, Farfan has 27 goals in 94 appearances for Peru. He trails only Guerrero as the best-ever La Blanquirroja scorer, featuring at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and several Copa Americas. 

Since he's out of contract, an MLS team wouldn’t need to pay a transfer fee or work out loan details for Farfan’s services. They’d just need to have the roster room and budget space.