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Major League Soccer has announced that franchises will now be allowed to pay an unlimited amount to acquire players

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• MLS to allow cash-for-players similar to worldwide model
• No limits in either General Allocation money or SuperDraft allowance
• Clubs allowed two cash trades per year

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  MLS will now allow teams to spend transfer fees on players for the first time ever, the league announced Tuesday. There will be no limits on how much a franchise can pay for another player, but teams are being capped to a maximum or two cash-for-player trades per year.

  No other assets – including additional players – can be used in such transactions.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  This is a landmark moment for the league – which previously had not allowed players to be moved for cash. Players have to retain their player status when they are purchased. Designated players for one side, for example, would have to remain a designated player when they move club.

• WHAT THE MLS PLAYERS ASSOCIATION SAID

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MLS?

  The change figures to open up trade opportunities within the league, especially as the talent pool continues to grow. It goes into effect immediately. Preseason camps have already started for most clubs.

Ryan Reynolds has explained why fellow Hollywood superstars Channing Tatum, Will Ferrell and Hugh Jackman are so eager to secure Wrexham tickets.

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• Hollywood co-owners calling the shots
• Invite famous friends over for games
• Documentary has boosted mass appeal

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Celebrity guests have become the norm in North Wales following a remarkable takeover completed by Deadpool actor Reynolds and ‘It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’ star Rob McElhenney back in 2021. They have been regular visitors to SToK Racecourse across four memorable years.

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• THE GOSSIP

  Famous friends are often invited along for the ride – with the likes of Eva Longoria and Paul Rudd also sitting on that list – as the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary series has opened up a window to the world and generated interest in the most unlikeliest of places.

• WHAT RYAN REYNOLDS SAID

  Discussing the flood of A-list visitors to EFL fixtures in the United Kingdom, Reynolds told the podcast: “It’s a bit like the Wrexham story – if you look and you’re patient enough, there is magic there. I don’t have to pitch them anything. They have seen the show and they understand how ‘the sausage gets made’, to a certain degree. The show doesn’t centre myself or Rob, it really centres the community and the team. They want to experience that. I think people want to feel a bit of that ‘Field of Dreams’ energy and walk into a place that is hallowed and a place that has – somehow, despite Rob and I’s best efforts – remained unspoiled. Will Ferrell is a football nut. He just wanted to be there, he wanted to experience the Racecourse ground and all that it has to offer. Hugh was the same way. Channing, I’m not very strong so I needed someone to carry things up the stairs to the suite!”

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Greenday frontman Billie Joe Armstrong is another to have visited Wrexham – on the terraces, rather than in a VIP box – with Reynolds adding: “There’s nothing normal about it! You can’t make anything good without enthusiasm, and I genuinely believe in the power of enthusiasm. I know Billie Joe from the fact that his song was used in Deadpool & Wolverine. It was so effective that I felt like it was cheating and I called him to just say thanks for licensing the song, I don’t want anything from it, I just genuinely was really grateful that he said yes – he didn’t have to and Marvel paid the money but he still didn’t have to. You’d be surprised how many musicians don’t license their music. He said ‘I watch Wrexham, we’re obsessed and I’d love to come and see a match some time’. We stayed in touch and eventually it worked out when he was in London and said ‘I’d love to go with you’.”

Tottenham Hotspur are seriously considering the prospect of signing an England international for manager Ange Postecoglou, with the Australian somewhat under fire right now after a tepid start to the season.

Spurs escape Coventry City upset with dramatic 2-1 win

The Lilywhites were just minutes away from what would’ve been a calamitous result in the EFL Cup on Wednesday evening.

What Postecoglou has secretly told his Tottenham squad after Arsenal defeat

The Australian has come under-fire since Spurs’ North London derby loss.

By
Emilio Galantini

Sep 18, 2024

An uninspiring display at Championship side Coventry City in the EFL Cup nearly resulted in Postecoglou’s side squandering a potential cup run right at the very beginning of the season, and it took two dramatic last-gasp strikes to ensure their place in the next round.

Brandon Thomas-Asante’s opening goal for Coventry just past the hour mark had Tottenham supporters in panic mode, but substitutes Djed Spence and Brennan Johnson were on hand to spare Postecoglou’s blushes.

Spence’s strike in the 88th minute and Johnson’s winner in added time kept Spurs’ hopes of winning the competition very much alive, though Postecoglou came under fire afterwards considering the lacklustre display from his team.

Speaking to the media after Tottenham’s smash and grab win, Postecoglou defended his players and praised Coventry for their performance.

“Yeah, I don’t know, flat performance is a bit harsh. I thought I was a typical cup game,” said Postecoglou after Spurs’ 2-1 win at Coventry.

“I thought Coventry were really good. They put some real energy into the game, and we couldn’t really get a grip on it. So we had to hang in there. We had to work really, really hard just to stay in the game and obviously going a goal behind makes it even more challenging. But like you said at the end there we showed some real spirit and character, which is probably what’s been missing in the first four games. We’ve had the performance, but we haven’t had that relentlessness to to get a result. You sense that in the last 10 minutes, we got real belief out of that, and hopefully that’s a good sign moving forward.”

Tottenham are also fresh off the back of two consecutive Premier League defeats, but Postecoglou has told his Spurs squad to remain calm and keep up their performance, ahead of a tough second campaign in charge for the tactician.

Tottenham seriously considering Angel Gomes move

As the pressure mounts on Postecoglou, club transfer chiefs are at work on potential signings to strengthen the squad as 2025 looms.

Lille midfielder and ex-Man United starlet Angel Gomes, who recently earned his first international caps for England, is apparently turning heads in north London.

According to GiveMeSport, Tottenham are seriously considering a move for Gomes while “offering him a route back to his homeland”, which would be a very low-cost deal with the 24-year-old’s contract expiring next summer.

While he is valued at around £21 million by Transfermarkt, Spurs could bypass a fee entirely next summer, or sign him for a very cheap fee in January.

Gomes has impressed for Lille since joining them in 2021, becoming a real mainstay and key player on their team sheet. The attacking midfielder chalked up eight assists in Ligue 1 alone last season, and he could be a sound alternative to James Maddison in the middle.

“Angel is maybe the most intelligent player I have in my team. He understands faster than the others everything about the game; he loves the game. He loves to learn and he is a player with big skills, big technique,” said ex-Lille boss Paulo Fonseca.

“He is a player who under pressure it is not easy to steal the ball off him and who discovers the space so easily. He is young, he has a big talent. I believe with the right coach, with the right project, with the right game for him, he can have the possibility to have a big step in his career.”

Manchester United staff were reportedly "relieved" that the club did not sell Alejandro Garnacho as his exit might have "caused uproar" among fans.

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• United approached by Chelsea & Napoli for Garnacho
• However, the club decided against letting him go
• Would have generated 'pure profit' in accounting books

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to Napoli made an official bid for the 20-year-old winger, while Chelsea also inquired about a potential move. However, United opted to retain the promising star. Some staff members feared that a potential sale would have triggered an angry reaction from fans, with one source admitting that there was no way to justify Garnacho's departure "as a positive" move.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Selling a homegrown academy product would have counted as pure profit in the club’s financial records, making it beneficial under the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). Despite this, United decided against cashing in on Garnacho, recognising his long-term potential and growing importance to Ruben Amorim's pursuit of excellence.

• WHAT AMORIM SAID

  Earlier in the season, Garnacho, along with Marcus Rashford, was dropped from the squad for the Manchester derby in December. However, since then, he has regained his place in the starting XI, proving his value with a string of impressive performances.

  Speaking about his importance, Amorim stated: "I want players like Kobbie [Mainoo] and Garnacho. The focus is that we have to improve our academy. And you have to bring more [through]. That is something that all the clubs in England have to take advantage of. The players that come from their academies. To play, to feel the shirt, but also to sell them. So our focus is to bring more [through]."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Despite United not actively seeking to sell Garnacho, reports suggest that the club would have considered offers in the region of £50 million ($62 million). With eight goals and six assists this season, he has played a crucial role for the Red Devils. His impact off the bench was evident in the Europa League clash against FCSB when he set up Mainoo to score and he had previously assisted Amad Diallo against Liverpool in the Premier League.

It was only a couple of weeks ago that words like ‘crisis’ and ‘pressure’ were being thrown around to describe Tottenham Hotspur’s start to the season and Ange Postecoglou’s position as manager.

However, flash forward four wins in four games, and things in N17 are now looking far rosier, with the Australian’s side starting to play the fluid, attacking, and effective football they did at the start of last season.

The manager has made a few changes to the side in recent weeks, perhaps the most significant being the relocation of Dejan Kulusevski from the wing to the heart of midfield, where he has been utterly sublime.

However, before the club initially signed the Swedish superstar, they were interested in and could have actually signed another international winger, who might not have worked out as well.

Kulusevski's recent form

It would probably be fair to say that last season was not Kulusevski’s best campaign to date, as while he still managed to rack up a respectable haul of eight goals and three assists in 39 appearances, he had a quiet second half of the year.

For example, in his 17 league appearances after New Year’s Day, the Swede could only muster a paltry return of three goals and one assist, although considering the team’s overall form at that point, it might be unfair to pin that entirely on him.

Fortunately, despite his drop in form, Postecoglou persevered with the former Juventus ace, and so far this season, he has made eight appearances, in which he has already scored once and provided two assists.

However, one of the most notable things about his appearances so far is his new position in the heart of midfield.

For example, he has started five of those eight games in either central or attacking midfield, and considering he created the most chances of any away player at Old Trafford for 20 years on Sunday, he’s been undeniably superb in his new role.

Overall, things are looking up for Spurs and Kulusevski at the moment, but before the North Londoners signed the 24-year-old star, they were keen on another talented winger.

Spurs wanted to sign Ousmane Dembélé

Yes, before he made his way back to France to join Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham could have signed then-Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembélé.

According to a report from The Athletic, the North Londoners were so interested in the Frenchman that, in early January 2022, they inquired about his availability as, at the time, it was public knowledge that the Catalan club wanted him to either sign a new long-term deal or leave for a fee.

Unfortunately for the five-time European Champions, by the time they offered his services to Spurs on January 30th, the club turned them down, believing that adding another star to ‘a position where they were already reasonably well-stocked’ was pointless, especially as he was on an eye-watering £192k-per-week at the time.

Moreover, the reason the Lilywhites were suddenly so well covered in that position was down to the signing of Kulusevski, which was officially announced the following day, and based on the last few years, it looks like Daniel Levy and Co made the right choice for a few key reasons.

The first is that, for as talented as the “incredible” Frenchman is, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, he had a simply atrocious injury record in Spain and across his career to date, he has missed a whopping 141 games due to an array of hamstring, knee and muscle problems. In comparison, the Swede has missed just 17 games in his career so far.

Now, in his defence, the World Cup winner did manage to remain fit last season, but given the nature of his injuries and their frequency, it feels more like when and not if he suffers another significant setback.

The second reason is a financial one, as following his £43.5m move to Paris Saint-Germain last summer, the former Borussia Dortmund ace was handed a mammoth £401k-per-week contract – including bonuses – which would have utterly decimated the Lilywhites’ reasonable wage structure and in turn potentially cause issues down the line with future signings.

Lastly, not only is the Vernon-born dynamo three years older than Spurs’ talented number 21, but he has also fallen out with Luis Enrique in Paris and was subsequently removed from the squad that faced Arsenal in the Champions League, which does not seem like the sort of personality that Postecoglou would want in his team.

Ultimately, while Dembélé is an undeniably talented player, his injury issues, outrageously high wages, and recent fallout with his manager are all reasons why Spurs made the right choice when they signed Kulusevski instead back in 2022.

Spurs wanted to sign £55m star for Ange but ended up with Brennan Johnson

The North Londoners could have ended up with another winger entirely last summer.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Oct 1, 2024

Nottingham Forest are ready to lose one of their key men should an offer come in, as they look to continue their upward trajectory under Nuno Espírito Santo.

Nottingham Forest taste Premier League defeat

If you had told any Forest fan that their first taste of Premier League defeat would come as late as their sixth game this season, they would probably have bitten your arm off.

The Garibaldi only just avoided relegation last season, but have made a strong start to the campaign this time around, aided by summer signings Ramon Sosa and Jota Silva, as well as the imposing figure of Nikola Milenkovic in the heart of defence.

Nottingham Forest must regret not signing amazing ace who's outscored Wood

Forest wanted to add to their forward line over the summer.

By
Connor Holden

Sep 29, 2024

Though out of the Carabao Cup, they sit ninth in the Premier League in an early season highlighted by a shock win over Liverpool at Anfield, with nine points from six games leaving them on course for 57 points across the season and a comfortable mid-table finish.

But a 1-0 home defeat to Fulham brought the club a little way back down to earth, with Nuno’s side managing just one shot on target as a Raul Jimenez penalty proved the difference between the two sides.

With a favourable run of fixtures ahead, they will be hoping that the loss is just a blip rather than a sign of a downturn in form at The City Ground. But now, a potentially unpopular sale has been mooted.

Nottingham Forest ready to cash in

Football Insider reports that the club are now ready to cash in on fan-favourite defender Murillo, but only for a huge fee.

The centre-back has been a revelation since his arrival from Corinthians just over a year ago, and has caught the eye of plenty of clubs around Europe, with Chelsea among those who reportedly held an interest over the summer.

He was dubbed “excellent” by Sky Sports pundit Dougie Critchley, while he also came in for praise on Match of the Day from Ian Wright.

“The way they defended, you know, he’s getting to be one of my favourite players to watch, Murillo at the back for Forest.

“He’s so good, he’s so good on the ball. He’s passing out of defence, he’s very good.”

Murillo opted to stay at Forest for another season, explaining that he “is in the best place” for regular game time.

However, he suggested a future move was likely, adding: “Staying here for another season will enable me to mature as a player and eventually become better prepared if the chance ever comes to play at another level one day… I want to eventually play in the Champions League.”

Now, Football Insider claims that the club would “reluctantly sell Murillo for a ‘huge’ fee” next summer, and that they would only entertain offers “if they can make a huge profit” on the defender.

Given he cost £10m just a year ago, that should not be too difficult, with the defender still having almost four years to run on his £30,000-a-week deal at The City Ground.

With reported interest from across Europe, his future sale could even become a new club record, surpassing the £45m that Tottenham shelled out for Brennan Johnson last summer.

U.S. men's national team midfielder Johnny Cardoso has signed a new contract with Real Betis, the club announced on Tuesday.

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• Cardoso signs new deal with Real Betis
• Tied to the club through 2030
• Has drawn transfer interest from Tottenham, Barcelona and Wolves

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Betis announced on Tuesday that U.S. international Johnny Cardoso has re-upped with the club, signing a deal that will keep him tied to the Spanish side until 2030.

  The new contract comes just over a year after Cardoso made the move to La Liga, joining from Internacional in Brazil during the 2024 winter transfer window. The 23-year-old midfielder has played a total of 44 matches for Betis since making the move, serving as an integral lynchpin as a defensive-minded midfielder while also providing two goals and three assists.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The American has transitioned seamlessly to La Liga, which, in turn, has generated plenty of transfer rumors. Reports indicate that Tottenham have a right of first refusal on any deal involving Cardoso, who has also been linked to the likes of Barcelona and Wolves.

  "This [transfer interest] motivates me even more to continue working, evolving and seeking to achieve great goals. It has been a very special year, with a lot of learning and development. I have adapted very well here," Cardoso told Marca. "I think I have gained more experience, I have improved as an athlete both technically and tactically and I continue to evolve. I am still working to get better and better."

  Cardoso is also pushing for a USMNT starting spot under Mauricio Pochettino. The midfielder has largely been a backup since making his first USMNT appearance back in 2020. He's made a total of 18 USMNT appearances, with 14 of those coming in 2023 and 2024.

• USA Today Images
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  For fans of American soccer, Cardoso isn't the only familiar face in the Betis squad. The club recently signed now-former Columbus Crew star Cucho Hernandez for a reported fee of $16 million plus potential additional add-ons.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL BETIS?

  Real Betis currently sit 10th in La Liga as they try to push up the table towards a European place, with that journey continuing this weekend with a visit to Celta Vigo. Meanwhile, the club is still alive in Europe this season and will face Gent in the Europa Conference League for a two-legged tie beginning on Feb. 13.

Birmingham City have unveiled plans for a new £3 billion ($3.7bn) stadium complex that will include a 62,000-seat venue and unique underground tunnel.

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• Blues currently top of League One
• Piecing together ambitious future plans
• NFL legend among club investors

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Blues, who count NFL legend Tom Brady among their investors, are setting the most ambitious of goals in the West Midlands. They may find themselves in League One at present, but the hope is that they will soon be rubbing shoulders with the Premier League elite.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Third tier rivals Wrexham – with Hollywood superstars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney at the helm – boast a similar dream. The Red Dragons have revealed blueprints for their own redevelopment work at SToK Racecourse, with talk of that ground eventually housing 50,000-plus spectators.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Birmingham are going even bigger, with Tom Wagner and Knighthead Capital Management preparing to construct a state-of-the-art “Sports Quarter” on a 60-acre piece of land that will include a 62,000-capacity stadium, office spaces, social hubs, a hotel and fan park.

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  WHAT TOM WAGNER SAID

  Said site will be linked to the Birmingham New Street train station by a 1.5-mile tunnel. Wagner has said, as per : “Subways are very expensive and complicated to develop. We thought of an idea to simply tunnel under the existing rail lines and connect New Street station to the sports quarter and use electric buses running underground. It could transport thousands of people an hour. We think it would cost roughly £20 million.”

In dire need of reinforcements following such a disappointing start to the season, Dougie Freedman is now reportedly plotting a move to sign an attacking addition for Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace transfer news

Those at Selhurst Park had a mixed summer transfer window. Whilst they managed to welcome the likes of Eddie Nketiah and Maxence Lacroix, they were only able to fund those deals after both Michael Olise and Joachim Andersen swapped South London for Bayern Munich and Fulham respectively.

And so far, Oliver Glasner’s side have felt that impact in full, having failed to win once in their opening seven Premier League games.

He's outperforming Mateta: Crystal Palace missed out on the "perfect" CF

Palace nearly signed player described as “perfect” back in 2023

By
Connor Holden

Oct 9, 2024

Their latest defeat came at the hands of league-leaders Liverpool, who battled past the Eagles to win 1-0 and pile the pressure on winless Palace and manager Glasner.

Sitting on just three points and inside the relegation zone, it’s certainly not been the opening that the former Eintracht Frankfurt boss would have wanted after such an excellent start to his tenure in the second-half of last season. But things could yet change with the help of the transfer window in 2025.

According to GiveMeSport, sporting director Dougie Freedman is now plotting a move to sign Dario Osorio from Midtjylland after Crystal Palace officials were impressed by the Chilean right-winger.

That said, the South London side aren’t the only ones interested, with both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United reportedly eyeing moves for the 20-year-old who has earned comparisons with Angel Di Maria.

In a move that could replace Olise once and for all, Palace would be making quite the statement by also beating both Spurs and Manchester United to Osorio’s signature. A man in-demand, Osorio will be one to watch when 2025 arrives.

"Great" Osorio could finally replace Olise

Whilst Ismaila Sarr was supposed to take up the responsibility of replacing Olise’s quality, it remains to be seen whether the former Watford star will rediscover his best form at Selhurst Park, leaving the door ajar for Osorio. So far this season, the young winger has only shown glimpses of what he’s capable of, with three goals and one assist in 16 appearances, but last season’s numbers highlighted what he’s capable of at his best.

With nine goals and two assists in 16 appearances last season, Osorio attracted plenty of interest which has only continued into the current campaign. So much so that Midtjylland chief Ove Pederson was forced to speak about the interest, saying via TeamTalk in the summer: “You will understand that we cannot comment on possible offers for our players.

“We cannot advance anything. Simply put, this is not the way we work. I can only tell you that Dario Osorio is a great player and has had a great season.”

Battling some of the Premier League’s top sides, Crystal Palace will be desperate to win the race to sign Osorio and perhaps finally find their replacement for Olise when 2025 arrives.

From MVP and Cup contenders to surprise clubs and bottom-dwellers, GOAL writers make predictions for the 30th MLS season

The 30th MLS season begins this weekend, and of course, the conversation begins with Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. They really should have won MLS Cup last year – weaknesses notwithstanding. But they were pushed out of the playoffs by Atlanta United.

Their response? Get a new manager, a bunch of fresh legs, and try to retool a bit. Will it all work out? And could someone else surprise? FC Cincinnati look good this year, while Atlanta have spent big. Seattle Sounders, too, could make some noise out west. And then there are LAFC, who might just get the boost of a certain Antoine Griezmann this summer. That would certainly make them contenders.

But it's not just about teams. Individual player movement has opened up the MVP conversation. Evander's arrival in Cincinnati could cement him as the most important player in this league. Miguel Almiron's return to Atlanta throws his name into the mix. And then there are the new arrivals. Attacking players have dominated the headlines. Wilfried Zaha to Charlotte. Kevin Denkey to Cincinnati. Emmanuel Latte Lath to Atlanta. They all might be game changers.

At the other end of the table, it's hard to identify a truly woeful club. The bad sides all got a little better. And with it being statistically easier to make the playoffs than miss out, there are numerous teams who will fancy their chances. Could San Diego struggle in their first season? Or is Toronto the real Wooden Spoon contender here?

There are loads of interesting questions, and GOAL US writers tackle all of them and more in an MLS preview edition of… The Rondo.

• Seattle Sounders
  

  What offseason move was most impactful?

  Tom Hindle: Perhaps a little boring, but Gregg Berhalter to Chicago should be a good time. Can the coach turn them around? Is he well used as sporting director and head coach? Have they spent wisely? Is he a good enough manager to make this all work? There are more sensational acquisitions, but his could be the most interesting.

  Ryan Tolmich: It's hard not to love what Seattle pulled off this winter. They added proven MLS talent in Jesus Ferreira and Paul Arriola in positions of need, putting together one hell of a puzzle. The man behind it, Brian Schmetzer, is arguably the most trustworthy coach in the league when it comes to getting the most out of his squad. Expect a big year from Ferreira, in particular, who should bounce back from a tough 2024.

  Jacob Schneider: Almiron's return to Atlanta is easily the most exciting move ahead of 2025. He inspired all of MLS during his prior time in the league, and his return is a sensational homecoming. Zaha is a close second. However, the smartest move this offseason goes to the LA Galaxy. Greg Vanney and Co. brought in Columbus Crew striker Christian Ramirez for a mere $250K in allocation money (with another $250K on the table in 2026) to replace Dejan Joveljic, who joined Sporting Kansas City for a reported $4M fee. Hypothetically, Ramirez should be able to replicate the Serbian's scoring in LA, or at least come close to it, for a cheap fee. Well done.

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  Who wins MLS MVP and Golden Boot?

  TH: MVP is Messi – and it shouldn't really be close. Golden Boot is trickier, but let's go with Denkey, whom everyone seems super high on.

  RT: It all comes down to one question: how much does Messi care about these things? With no Copa America this summer and, hopefully, no injury to derail him, Messi should put up superhuman numbers in MLS. If that happens, the only way Messi doesn't win is if the voters get tired of his brilliance. Still, he has to stay healthy. If he does end up playing, say, 75 percent of Miami's games, it's hard to imagine anyone else winning.

  JS: Messi will win his second-straight MVP. Others, such as Evander, will contend, but the Argentine will once again claim the trophy – assuming he stays fit. The Golden Boot, however, will be a photo finish. Denkey, Latte Lath, LAFC's Denis Bouanga and trophy-holder Christian Benteke should all contend. However, the trophy will end in the hands of Minnesota United's Kelvin Yeboah. In 2024, he bagged seven goals in nine regular season appearances and two more in three playoff matches. The Loons themselves will rely on him heavily in front of net, and as a result, he'll be their primary scorer. That should result in a 20-plus goal season. If there's one thing we learned from Benteke's award-winning season, it's that you need a scorer to win the award, not an elite roster.

• Taylor Banner/Charlotte FC
  

  Who will be the most surprising team in MLS?

  TH: New England. Caleb Porter has been given money to spend, and has a proven winning record as a coach. He seems properly energized, and with a good team in place, they could go from relative irrelevance up to a five-seed – and perhaps make some noise from there.

  RT: It has gone under the radar a bit, but Charlotte FC has quietly built one of the league's most balanced rosters, top to bottom. They have an elite goalkeeper in Kristijan Kahlina and a defense so solid that it can afford to play Tim Ream at left-back. Eryk Williamson should help the midfield, while the signing of Zaha gives the attack the type of player it's never had before. In terms of roster construction, this team has everything: top level experience from Zaha, Ream and Ashley Westwood, MLS experience throughout and rising stars such as Patrick Agyemang. Depending on Zaha's level, Charlotte could end up being an MLS Cup contender.

  JS: Agree, it's Charlotte FC. The club's brilliant offseason work has set them up to compete with some of the best in the Eastern Conference. The addition of Zaha, along with Agyemang returning, should have them finishing top-six in the league. Others, such as MNUFC, the San Jose Earthquakes and CF Montreal, could surprise, too. But Charlotte takes the cake.

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  Who will finish at the bottom of MLS?

  TH: Toronto FC. They're really not very good. San Diego might struggle, as an expansion team, but they've got enough talent – and possibly Kevin De Bruyne? – to compete a bit.

  RT: Sorry, San Diego FC, but this is going to be hard – at least initially. There just isn't enough MLS-proven talent on this roster yet. Yes, Chucky Lozano is good and should get goals. Yes, Luca de la Torre helps the midfield. In terms of veteran know-how in this group, though, there just isn't much. Because of that, they'll almost certainly struggle. If that rumored de Bruyne signing happens, though, please don't come back to this prediction.

  JS: It's Toronto. Failing to offload Lorenzo Insigne, who is the league's second-highest paid player, ahead of the season is terrible front office business. He has constantly underperformed and let his team down, and without him moved, they can't make many changes. The appointment of Robin Fraser as manager would have been a smart move if he had any framework to work with, but right now, it seems as if he has been set up to fail with a roster that just cannot compete.