Calm Before the Storm for United and Spirit Offseasons, USMNT Player Updates, and More: Wednesday Freedom Kicks
Welcome to the last hump day before the week of Christmas! Let’s face it, it’s a busy time of year. One would like to think that would be true for DC United’s front office, but… well, let’s get into the FKs for today.
Trinity Rodman’s uncertain future marks crossroads for Spirit, NWSL– Sports Business Journal
Just another reminder that, despite some movement toward carving out a specifically Rodman-sized hole in the process for her to stay, at the exclusion of other stars, that Trin’s signature has not yet been obtained in this mess.
Sophia Wilson Exercises NWSL Record $1M Player Option– Sportico
In comparison, Sophia Wilson seems content for now to remain under her existing deal, as she will continue to pull in roughly a third of her team’s currently available salary cap. This probably has more to do with not contemplating a move abroad as she attempts to balance a newborn and the unenviable process of getting back to elite physical fitness and playing form after such a long absence. All the best for her.
Eastern Conference: 5 teams to watch in the winter transfer market– MLS
You’ll be shocked to find that our offseason makes the cut. It mostly analyzes the Baribo deal, and wonders what Sogut might do next. Yeah, we’re all wondering, Doyle.
Following here are some news tidbits tangential to DC United, starting with: Hernan Losada seemingly getting a new start in Cyprus- Twitter,
Some news above involving former DC United employee, Steven Wagoner, and news that a former DC United ticket rep is now Head of Football Operations at Tottenham Hotspur- SB Nation. There’s also news that former DC draft pick Akeem Ward was elected to the USL PA executive committee, presumably to be part of the delegation that engages in CBA talks between the union and the league.
Yeah, this now counts as United news with basically days till the first day of training camp for the club.
Moving on.
There appears to be some depth for the USMNT at fullback, which is a pretty big deal, given the team’s new success with the 5-2-3 formation Poch has preferred of late. (The coach would probably argue that it’s a 3-4-2-1, but I’ve seen it operate).
USMNT Tracker: Whisper it, but Reyna is getting regular minutes. Plus: Return of the Jedi!– The Athletic
Reyna’s plane being even slightly off the ground counts as good news.
Although, the injury to Tyler Adams feels like the sort of trade off that the soccer gods find appropriate…
FIFA slashes some 2026 World Cup ticket prices after backlash– ESPN
I shall be telling this with a sigh/ Somewhere ages and ages hence:/ Ticket prices went too high, and I/ I made it so some fans could buy,/ And gouging will make up the difference.- A piece by FIFA President, Gianni Infantino
UEFA Women’s Champions League Matchday 6: Schedule, live stream, how to watch, storylines– CBS
There are a ton of Women’s Champions League games at 3 PM Eastern today on Paramount+.
FIFA reveals Best Women’s 11 (of Spain and England players)– Pro Soccer Wire
FIFA not beating the allegations that they only show up for European finals to evaluate these things.
Transfer Rumors: Liverpool Want Wirtz Sale; Inter Miami Eye Barcelona Star for Messi– Sports Illustrated
Plenty of tidbits for those interested in the upcoming January moves on the men’s side, but find it remarkable that Liverpool are willing to jettison world class talent Florian Wirtz so soon. It’s like, you bought two wingbacks and a playmaker, and then didn’t build your squad around them. That’s on you, Liverpool.
Finally, just some very grown up Rowdies fans saying grown up things about the new season.
That’s all I’ve got! One-up me in the comments, and have a great sporting day!
Well, the hope I hold out for DCU is maybe the GM is the kind of guy who believes in holding off making announcements on things until closer to the start of the season. Maybe. Cuz otherwise, for a last place team right now we’re weaker then when we ended the season.
And the ownership of the NWSL really pisses me off. OK, not everyone can be a Kang. But it seems like they’re looking for excuses to be low-budget and not spend money even if long-term it’s dumb and short-term it’s dumb.
DC has been infamously tight-lipped with transfer news for a long time until things are basically done (or leaked intentionally). Firing everyone except the coach and new GM means it’s easier than ever to keep things bottled up. Though it also means there’s only two people doing the work of a dozen, so it’s probably just going to be slow.
DC was teasing a “landing” announcement last night. It’s the Tai Baribo signing. But I liked their video of zooming in on the map to Buzzard Point. Fun little graphic!
Got kind of blindsided by the fact that the draft is tomorrow. There’s definitely a couple of intriguing players, although the twist is that the best players aren’t CBs or goalies. I would love to take a swing at someone like Junior Diouf, but it mostly just makes me want to scream because we don’t have any MLS Next PRO team or way to develop a young player.
It may be that we trade down to try and bank some allocation money, and then go for the best central defender or what have you, but I’d really like to try and sign the best player available. Really use that #1 pick. But it seems like it might just go to waste.
This stupid team…
Goff confirms that DC has signed Baribo. Will be a DP, contract is through the 29/30 season (that notation is going to take some getting used to). Will be interesting to see how far above the DP threshold he is when salaries come out in May
Goff is reporting that Baribo is signed through 2029-2030 on a salary of $810,000. I’m trying to find out if the cash transfer works like any other transfer fee and gets amortized over the life of the contract in terms of being able to buy him down to a TAM level to open another DP slot should the need arise. I think, even if it does, with the length of the contract, that could be something that’s doable. Although knowing this team, it probably falls just outside the “buy down” range.
I seems like…not a bad deal for a guy who scores as much as he has. They still need to build pretty much everything around him.
Small correction here, he made $810k with Philly this past year. He’ll presumably be making more with DC
Ah, I misread that.
United has made their announcement. They said that the total financial investment is north of $15 million. Doing some math, $15,000,000 – $4,000,000 transfer fee – $600,000 in other money sent to Philly if incentives are met / 5 years = a player salary of $2 million+ a year. That’s about a 2.5x increase for Baribo… and seems like an overpay for DC.
The bet is going to be that, over five years, Baribo surpasses Benteke as United’s second all-time career scorer, and hopefully by some distance.
If they were negotiating with Baribo since the summer transfer window, maybe they needed to free up salary money to bring him onboard. That is a long contract if his production falls off, but it was probably needed to entice him to join DCU.
He turns 28 in a month, so he should be fine except for maybe the last year of the deal. His thing is being a poacher and finding space, so I think that skillset should hold up pretty well throughout the life of the deal. The team just needs to be prepared to build around him with good flank service. The team needs a Kai Wagner, or a Quinn Sullivan (or both!).
And DCU has Peglow, Clark, Kijima, Stroud, Schnegg, Herrera, etc. and some future signings. I am guessing, with Erkut and Weiler being from Europe, our signings will be mainly from Europe. I am really anxious to see what they do with contracts.
There’s rumors/reports floating around Twitter that the new MLS divisions seem to have been finalized. At present, it looks like the divisions will be:
Breaks up both the DC/NYRB and LAG/SJ rivalries, but I suppose they’ll still play each other once per year
DC will never be top of that group under this ownership consortium.
Until you-know-who retires, I think it’ll be difficult for anyone other than Miami to win that group. At least we can consistently fight with Atlanta for last!
I just convulse with laughter that Messi will never set foot on Audi Field, no matter how much MLS tries to bank the fanbase of DCU.
It’s hard not to see us at the bottom of the group most years. But it will be delicious when Atlanta or Miami completely fumble and end up below every now and then.
I dislike this greatly. The one good thing is Philly will only have a chance to put 6 goals up against DCU once a year now.
So separating DCU from our traditional rival in NYRB and our closest rival in Philly…..
You saw the league distanced itself from the Atlantic Cup. It was deliberate.
Fun fact! Out of now 23 players on the DC United roster, only 12 of them have scored more goals for DC than Tai Baribo.
The Sounders signed Hassani Dotson. He had wanted out of Minnesota since mid-season last year. I was hopeful that we might take a run at him. I kind of suspect that he’s going to do really well in Seattle, since they tend take a lot of veterans from other teams and turning them into effective role players.
Priority access for tickets now available for DC United fans for the March 7 match in Baltimore vs. Inter Miami. BIG stadium and BIG prices for tickets?