Portland Timbers name Grabavoy general manager
The Portland Timbers have promoted Ned Grabavoy from technical director to general manager. The former MLS midfielder is now in his eighth season with the Timbers, first as a player and then as a front-office member. Portland’s sporting side was previously overseen by Gavin Wilkinson, who the club parted ways with in October.
Charlotte FC sign forward Copetti from Racing Club
Charlotte FC have acquired forward Enzo Copetti from Argentine Primera División side Racing Club. Copetti, who turns 27 next week, joins as a Designated Player and has signed through the 2025 MLS season with a club option for 2026. He joins Poland international forwards Karol Swiderski and Kamil Jozwiak as Charlotte's three DPs. Copetti enjoyed a breakout two seasons with Racing Club after joining in 2021; last year, he posted 21 goals and six assists in 47 appearances across all competitions.
Kamara requests trade away from CF Montréal
Kei Kamara, the third all-time leading scorer in MLS history, has requested a trade away from CF Montréal. The 38-year-old striker voiced the news on his Twitter account Wednesday morning. Kamara, who has 139 goals in 391 regular-season matches, was Montréal’s second-leading scorer in 2022 (9g/7a) as they achieved their best-ever MLS campaign.
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Yesterday almost felt quiet. We only had a new DP signing, the third all-time leading scorer in league history request a trade, and like 10 goalkeeper and homegrown signings. Ah, yes, it’s good to just relax. Anyway, since yesterday was semi-normal by MLS standards, I fully expect things to hit peak weird today or tomorrow. Can’t wait. Until then, let’s (briefly) talk through yesterday.
Why did no one immediately tell me that Enzo Copetti is nicknamed “El Tanque”? I wouldn’t have been so skeptical at the start. “Enzo Copetti” is your childhood friend who moves away too soon and causes your first clear instance of micro-trauma. “El Tanque” is a monster in the box clearing bodies out of the way to get to any and every ball. Being “The Tank” changes everything.
I’m only kind of kidding. As this transfer has gone on (and on), we’ve learned more and more about Copetti and have a clearer picture of how he’ll fit into Charlotte’s attack. We always knew he would lead the line in Charlotte, but I don’t think I quite understood why that would be worth dropping Karol Swiderski into what essentially seems to be projected as a Sebastian Driussi-esque role.
And ok, yeah, I’m still a little unsure of that, and I think everyone will be until we get real-life proof of concept with both on the field. But there’s something to be said for a dude that’s just going for it. I promise I’m not just saying this because Sir Minty is standing just off-stage slowly tapping a tire iron upon their (tiny) hand.
“He’s a late bloomer who went through the second division,” Charlotte sporting director Zoran Krneta told Tom Bogert. “He’s a player who runs all the time, he doesn’t stop. He attacks spaces all the time, which is exactly the type of player we want. He’s also hungry. We want hungry players, players who have something to prove and want to do more.”
In MLS, you can absolutely try-hard your way into a double-digit goal tally. If Copetti can pair that energy with even some skill, Charlotte could have a 15-goal striker on their hands who also helps them out defensively. As good as Swiderski is, he’s not that guy. Now he can drop deeper and mostly just focus on making his teammates better in attack.
Of course, even without Copetti’s arrival, Charlotte would need Swiderski and company to make the club’s wingers more effective in attack. Whether it’s DP Kamil Jozwiak, U22 Kerwin Vargas, or whoever else on the wing, Charlotte didn’t truly get production from their non-Swiderski players last year outside of six goals from Shinyashiki. They’re going to need more this year out wide. It’s not strange to think that Copetti’s work rate and Swiderski spending a little more time on the ball could help with that.
If things click a little more in attack, then Charlotte’s prospects are looking a lot better. They were just fine everywhere else in their inaugural season, nearly making the playoffs without pieces like Copetti and new defensive midfielder Ashley Westwood in place. I’m not quite sure we’re looking at an Austin-style year two jump, but we should be looking at some kind of step forward. How could you not go forward when you have El Tanque leading the way?
CF Montréal are collecting weird offseason moments like Pokemon right now. I’m not even sure we can say that “third all-time leading scorer in MLS history tweeting out a trade demand” is the top moment. And there are so, so many questions here. Part of me can’t help but wonder if the 38-year-old Kamara understandably looked at whatever tactics (and high-intensity fitness sessions) new manager Hernan Losada had prepared and just said “Nah.”
Either way, it’s readily apparent Kamara wants out. And some team somewhere will bite. How could they not? Kamara just put in a nine-goal, seven-assist season on a senior minimum contract. Sacrificing a little GAM to have that kind of value potentially coming off the bench won’t be a hard sell. There are plenty of teams across MLS who could use a backup striker with his ability.
Like… uh… CF Montréal. This team will be wholly unrecognizable by the start of the season. Both in its tactics and personnel. The range of potential outcomes here in year one under Losada seems to grow by the day, and it’s going to be totally fascinating to see how they recover from all this. In the meantime though, I guess they need to find someone to take Kamara.
- Inter Miami continue to have a quietly productive offseason. They brought in 27-year-old left back Franco Negri yesterday, and it seems like he could jump into a starting role. But the loud moves are still on the way for the Herons. Josef Martinez may arrive soon, and it sounds like they’ll still have a couple of DP spots or so to fill as well; a new winger or two could be on the table.
- Atlanta United added goalkeeper Clement Diop yesterday. Diop is just 29 and had very, very good underlying numbers the last time he got a full starting job in 2020. It’s Atlanta’s second keeper of the offseason after picking up Quentin Westberg. I think last year’s disastrous and possibly playoff-hope-ending goalkeeping may have left a deep impression on the team, and they’re eager to keep it from devolving again.
Inter Miami sign Argentine defender Negri: Inter Miami CF have signed veteran defender Franco Negri through the 2024 MLS season with an option for 2025. The 27-year-old left back, who can also play in the midfield, last played for Argentine top-flight side Godoy Cruz. After turning pro with San Lorenzo in 2016, Negri has played for a variety of clubs in his native country, scoring seven goals and four assists in 132 games across all competitions.
Chicago Fire sign goalkeeper Gal: Chicago Fire FC have acquired goalkeeper Jeff Gal on a free transfer from Swedish top-flight side Degerfors IF. Gal is under contract with Chicago through the 2023 MLS season with club options for 2024 and 2025.
Atlanta United sign goalkeeper Diop in free agency: Atlanta United have signed free-agent goalkeeper Clément Diop through the 2023 MLS season with an option for 2024. The 29-year-old joins Atlanta after spending the first part of the 2022 season with Inter Miami CF and the second with the New England Revolution. Diop joins Brad Guzan and Quentin Westberg as veteran options in Atlanta. Guzan missed most of 2022 with an Achilles injury, while Westberg joined in free agency after four years of rotating in and out of the starting role for Toronto FC.
Real Salt Lake sign goalkeeper MacMath to contract extension: Real Salt Lake have signed goalkeeper Zac MacMath to a contract extension through the 2024 MLS season with an option for 2025. MacMath, 31, emerged as RSL’s starter last campaign as they made the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for a second straight year.
NYCFC re-sign homegrown midfielder Haak: New York City FC have signed homegrown player Justin Haak to a new contract through the 2025 MLS season with an option for 2026. The 21-year-old defensive midfielder was out of contract following the 2022 campaign – his most prolific yet since making his pro debut in 2019. The Brooklyn native logged 883 minutes between regular season and Audi MLS Cup Playoff matches in addition to featuring with the club's MLS NEXT Pro affiliate NYCFC II (one goal in six games).
Columbus Crew sign homegrown defender Hughes: The Columbus Crew have signed homegrown defender Keegan Hughes to a first-team contract. Hughes' deal runs through the 2024 MLS season, with club options for both 2025 and 2026. The 22-year-old returns to his hometown side after a standout four-year collegiate career at Stanford, where he served as team captain during his senior season in 2022.
- FC Dallas announced their new jersey sponsors ahead of the 2023 season.
- Charlotte FC believes Enzo Copetti will be a "nightmare for defenders."
- Matt Doyle answered your questions in his first preseason mailbag of the year.
- Tom “Scoopcious: Based on the novel ‘Scoops’ by Scoopphire” Bogert took a look at the top 2023 MLS free agents still available. Tom mentions me and the back-to-back national champions, the University of Georgia gridiron football team, in the article, which is nice.
- Check out the eMLS Preseason Power Rankings.
Good luck out there. Make even the little things look good.
