MLS Rumors & Transactions: Fabian Johnson, Draft Recap, Miguel Almiron

15 teams have made moves or are rumored to do so soon in the last few days. Get updated.

By Chad Smith@PlayFor90 Dec 17, 2018, 2:36pm CST

With the Major League Soccer offseason at full tilt, it’s time once again to update all Sporting Kansas City fans on the happenings around the league. First, you should check out previous updates from the beginning of the month, another from a few days later and last week. Additionally, more moves are sprinkled into our Blue Links. If you are looking for something more Sporting KC focused, of course we’ve got that covered too.

While nothing sounds imminent, FC Cincinnati are reportedly interested in 31-year-old international Fabian Johnson who has played significantly for the United States Men’s National Team. They’ve said they have no plans to add a second Designated Player, so this would seem very unlikely but it’d be a good pick-up to bring further attention to the club.
After the whirlwind of moves last week Cincy still has quite the roster build in front of them. They added Polish goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton. He was out of contract from Spanish club Deportivo La Coruña since last summer. He’s expected to be the starter.
Cincinnati are also tied to current Liga MX player and Chile international Matias Fernandez. He’s an attacker who’s played all over including at Colo-Colo, Spain’s Villarreal and Italy’s Fiorentina. He’s still under contract until June 2019 but he could sign a pre-contract come January.
The team has a deal that should be officially announced this week with right back Mathieu Deplagne. It’s reportedly a three year deal. He previously played for French Ligue 2 side ESTAC Troyes.

The Revs re-signed Juan Agudelo after he was rumored to be considering a move to Liga MX. Agudelo is 26 and has been in MLS since he came up with the New York Red Bulls in 2010 when he was just 17.
In other striker news, the club is rumored to be adding Colombian striker Juan Fernando Caicedo from Independiente Medellin. He’s 29-years-old and has scored 47 goals since 2015.

It’s not a player, but Dallas have hired a coach. Long rumored to be happening, they promoted their Academy Director Luchi Gonzalez. Expect the youth movement to be in full effect in Dallas.

Philadelphia are perpetually searching for a striker with former SKC man CJ Sapong and Corey Burke splitting time there in 2018. They used Targeted Allocation Money to sign Brazilian forward Sergio Santos from Chilean Primera Division club Audax Italiano. They paid an undisclosed transfer fee, but it has to be small enough (salary plus fee can’t exceed $1.5 million) to be bought down by TAM. He’s just 24 and scored nine times in 16 games this season.
The Union also announced new deals for left back Fabinho, central midfielder Warren Creavalle and forward Kacper Przybylko.

With former Swope Park Rangers coach Marc dos Santos tearing apart the current Caps teams, he’ll need reinforcements. A rumor has the Whitecaps linked to Hwang In-beom, a midfielder who plays in South Korea.
Another rumor links them with a free transfer for Johan Larsson. He’s 28-years-old and plays right back. He was the captain of Brondby in the Danish league and previously played for Swedish side Elfsborg (2010-14).

While no specific players are mentioned, Portland’s president and general manager Gavin Wilkinson said, “without going into positions, I would say we need three to four players who can challenge for starting spots.” That is a significant overhaul for a team that came one game short of winning the whole league. Unless he’s just talking about adding backups to “challenge” the starters. He further indicated they can move Lucas Melano to a TAM level player and sign a new Designated Player.

An international teammate of Roger Espinoza’s will likely be heading to Texas. The Dynamo are rumored to be signing 22-year-old right back, Kevin Alvarez. The Dynamo are loaded with Honduran talent, already having Boniek Garcia, Alberth Elis and Romell Quioto.
The Dynamo also executed a trade with the Montreal Impact. They sent a 2020 third round pick over in exchange for defender Chris Duvall.

In a move we knew had to be coming, the Rapids made a trade to bolster their goalkeeping ranks. They had released former Sporting KC keeper Andrew Dykstra and traded away Zac MacMath so they brought in Clint Irwin from Toronto FC. The Reds got back a 2019 second round pick in exchange for the deal. It’s a low pick too because it’s from FC Dallas in the Kellyn Acosta deal.
In a corresponding move, the Rapids drafted Andre Rawls in Stage 1 of the Re-Entry draft from New York City FC.

In other Re-Entry draft news, Toronto picked long-time MLS veteran Nick DeLeon up from D.C. United. It was the first selection made in the draft.
Toronto also made the loan of defender Auro permanent.

RSL didn’t want to be left out of the news and they picked the third player in the Re-Entry draft selecting former RSL player Danny Toia who had been with Orlando City SC in 2018.

With D.C. losing DeLeon, they are looking to lock up some other, more vital pieces. Luciano Acosta is trying to get a raise and is working on a new deal with the club.
Additionally, current Argentine club Velez Sarsfield loanee Yamil Asad is attempting to make his move to Washington permanent.

In other draft related news, the Red Bulls traded to the top spot of the Waiver Draft with the San Jose Earthquakes. They gave up their 2019 second round pick to swap spots and then used that pick on Union midfielder Marcus Epps.

The Fire made the second pick up of the Waiver Draft selecting 21-year-old winger, Christian Martinez from the Columbus Crew. And in the second round they became the only team to draft two players picking up former LAFC forward Marco Urena.

Speak of LAFC, they also made a selection picking up forward Ricky Lopez-Espin formerly of RSL.

The continuing saga of Miguel Almiron going to England and potentially Newcastle United is stretching on. Now Atlanta President Darren Eales says the offer needs to start with a three. So at least $30 million but maybe £30 ($37.87 million US). They’ve already signed his replacement for $15 million so one assumes he’ll get sold.

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