Comings and Goings

While nothing continues to go on in MLS per se, there remains a bit of an offseason shuffle for loans and trades. There’s been talk of some pretty huge names going across the pond, be it for a trade or a loan, and regardless of whether the rumors have any actual merit. That said, we could see some big moves in the near future.

David Beckham, of course, has been the man to follow, and, in classic David Beckman fashion, the saga of his probable move to Paris has been manufactured to be an absolute event. He’s going, then he isn’t. His wife is searching for houses in Paris, then he doesn’t turn up in the stands in PSG’s latest match. No contract has been signed yet, but it’s pretty clear that he’ll be moving on by the start of next season. I guess the rest of MLS should be happy; Beckham’s departure could be the only thing that stops the Galaxy from a second MLS Cup Championship in 2012. Au revoir, Becks.

Rumors have also swirled that Thierry Henry could be making a return to his English home, Arsenal, as a loan in the offseason. There’s clearly no love lost between the Frenchman and the club, who recently installed a bronze statue of Henry outside of their stadium, but this move would still surprise me. Arsenal may love Henry, but that doesn’t mean he’s still fit to play for one of the Big Four. I’m a Red Bulls fan, but even I know that Henry isn’t the man he was during his prime, when he was scoring into the triple digits for Arsenal. And he knows that too; why else would he have come to MLS? Look, I love Henry, but I wouldn’t call this move too likely.

I would, however, have some faith in rumors that Rafa Marquez, New York’s second DP, could be returning to his home club, Atlas of Mexico. I mean, as much as there’s been talk of any such trade being denied by New York’s brass, the club probably wouldn’t hate to see him go. He was stagnant on the field last year, and really only made headlines for essentially telling his teammates “GET ON MY LEVEL” after a fairly crappy game. Rafa has probably boosted attendance at Red Bull Arena, but he’s definitely disappointed many on the field. He doesn’t seem happy in New York, and, seeing that he’s at the end of his career, definitely would want to go back to the place where he started. I could see this one happening.

In news with a bit less conjecture, we’re all looking foreword to Landon Donovan’s second loan to Everton. Having already gone through a markedly positive loan to the English club in 2010, a long awaited vision of European success for the American legend, Donovan will look to prove to the world that MLS can, in fact, produce talent. It seems that Everton’s just as excited, and in a recent interview the club’s coach, David Moyes, expressed his desire to “try and get Landon as many starts as we possibly can” I’m really looking foreword to this one: Donovan’s our best player, and there’s no doubt he’ll repeat the success of his last loan.

So there you have it. Now, how long until the Combine……

Category: MLS