LAFC loan Biuk to Real Valladolid
LAFC have loaned winger Stipe Biuk to Spanish second-division side Real Valladolid through June 2024 with a purchase option. The 21-year-old Croatian youth international joined LAFC last season as a U22 Initiative signing from Croatian top-flight side Hajduk Split. He produced 3g/1a in 43 matches across all competitions (1,850 minutes played).
Minnesota United sign center back Eriksson
Minnesota United FC have signed Swedish international center back Victor Eriksson through the 2026 MLS season with an option for 2027. Eriksson, 23, previously played his entire professional career at Swedish top-flight side IFK Värnamo. He played in 115 matches across all competitions, plus has earned one cap for Sweden (January 2023 friendly vs. Finland).
Gauld signs DP extension with Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver Whitecaps FC have signed attacking midfielder Ryan Gauld to a Designated Player contract extension through the 2027 MLS season. The 28-year-old Scotland native is entering his fourth season with Vancouver. He is their club leader with 60 goal contributions (26g/34a) across 94 all-competition appearances during the MLS era.
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Let’s catch up on the (kind of weirdly quiet) week that was before we hit the weekend. Starting with…
As always, the caveat when talking about a signing new to MLS is that we’ll have no idea how they will adapt to a new league and a new team. There are always questions. It’s a bit odd to have more questions than normal about a major Sounders signing, though. In large part because this is the first DP signing for Seattle since former general manager Garth Lagerwey left for Atlanta United and Pedro de la Vega’s profile, on some level, is decidedly un-Garth.
That doesn’t mean he’ll be ineffective. He could immediately be a star. There’s clearly a ton of upside here. But Lagerwey tends to lean toward a couple of tenants with major signings. The first is that he tends to look for a “prime age” player. Bringing in a player with more experience gives you more data to work with and less risk in your decision making. That player will typically also have had success in multiple countries. Having success away from home indicates that they should be able to handle the MLS of MLS and adapt to a new league.
Nico Lodeiro, Raúl Ruídiaz and Albert Rusnák fit into both categories when they signed with Seattle. João Paulo spent the entirety of his career in Brazil before arriving, but came as a 28-year-old. Víctor Rodríguez arrived as a 28-year-old. Nelson Valdez arrived a little past his prime at 31. Xavier Arreaga is the only DP under Lagerwey to arrive as an exception to both rules.
De la Vega is 22 years old and has spent his entire career at Lanús. That’s not inherently bad, but it is a change. And I have no idea if it will be for the better. By all accounts, though, he has plenty of talent. The way folks have talked about his on-ball ability suggests he could be the kind of game-breaking player in attack the Sounders were clearly missing last year.
Even if he’s an immediate hit, though, you do have to wonder if this is it for Seattle this offseason. It’s been very quiet for a team that seemed to need a bit of a refresh by the end of 2023. Then again (yet again), does any of that even matter in the West? Seattle will certainly be good enough to win the conference. If de la Vega is a star, they’ll quickly turn into frontrunners. If they have another move up their sleeve in the summer, it’s easy to envision them running away with the No. 1 seed. It’s still Seattle, y’all.
• Stipe Buik is out on loan and LAFC have taken yet another step backward. We’ve already been over this in the last couple of weeks, but it’s fair to wonder when the going forward part of “going back to go forward” begins for LAFC. And it’s fair to wonder if their lack of continuity is sustainable. It feels like we’re a long, long way from the 2022 offseason that saw them bring in a handful of MLS veterans to lead the way.
• Ryan Gauld is good at soccer. Good on the Whitecaps for locking him down for a while. That’s all I’ve got here.
• Nicolás Freire could have a tough task in Miami’s back line. He shouldn’t have to defend too much, but the moments when opponents break the other way could have him defending on an island. It seems like a great move on the surface, though. He has a ton of experience and arrives as a needed boost to the Herons back line.
Minnesota United sign midfielder Nyeman: Minnesota United FC have signed midfielder Moses Nyeman for the 2024 MLS season with options through 2026. The 20-year-old arrives in Minnesota after being at Belgian second-tier side SK Beveren. Nyeman has produced 0g/3a in 34 MLS matches (17 starts), originally joining D.C. United as a homegrown player before their 2019 campaign.
FC Dallas sign Ecuadorian midfielder Delgado: FC Dallas have signed midfielder Patrickson Delgado on loan from Ecuadorian top-flight side Independiente del Valle The 20-year-old's deal runs through the 2024 MLS season and includes a purchase option. An Ecuador youth international who represented his country at the FIFA 2019 U-17 World Cup, Delgado has 1g/1a in six matches with Independiente del Valle while playing mostly with the club's reserve side, Independiente Juniors.
- Jordan Morris is looking to "solidify his legacy" at Seattle Sounders.
- Roman Bürki spoke on St. Louis winning the conference and coming up short in the playoffs.
Good luck out there. Be the one.
