Timbers Bolster Backline to Jumpstart 2024 Offseason

After a slow start, Ned Grabavoy, Phil Neville, and the Portland Timbers are finally off the mark in the winter transfer window.

It has been a relatively slow and uneventful few months since the Timbers’ season ended at the hands of the Houston Dynamo on Oct. 21. ut over the last couple weeks, the club have kicked their recruitment efforts into high gear. For those who aren’t up to speed on Portland’s wheelings and dealings thus far, Sam released an offseason roundup on New Year’s Day that will catch you up to speed.

Incomings

Since then, the Timbers made the signing of Canadian International centerback Kamal Miller from Inter Miami CF official. Miller was signed “in exchange for $500,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money (GAM), $125,000 in 2025 GAM and an international roster spot … Miller will be under contract with the club through 2026 with a club option in 2027.”

Image Credit: Portland Timbers

Miller, who is naturally left-footed, will presumably slide right into the starting lineup next to Zac McGraw after Dario Župarić’s trade request this offseason, giving the Timbers a rock-solid Canadian centerback partnership. In the off-chance Župarić stays, the Timbers would have one of the deepest centerback rooms in MLS.

The club also announced they have acquired goalkeepers James Pantemis, 26, who spent the previous six seasons with CF Montréal, and Trey Muse, 24, from the Charleston Battery in the USL. Pantemis was largely a backup in Montréal, logging seven clean sheets in 34 appearances, and Muse tied for the most USL clean sheets in 2023 with 13 in 33 appearances, helping the Battery reach the 2023 USL Championship Final.

Image Credit: Portland Timbers

But that’s not where things stopped when it comes to shot-stoppers. On Friday, Jan. 5, Tom Bogert of The Athletic reported that the Timbers were finalizing a deal with free agent and Canada International goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau to round out their complete overhaul of the position.

After Aljaž Ivačič’s trade request, and with David Bingham’s contract expiring this offseason, the Timbers needed to make moves at the position and boy did they. Crépeau arrives in his prime as Portland’s clear #1, giving Pantemis and Muse the opportunity to compete to be his backup, and in all likelihood spells a season with T2 for Hunter Sulte.

Outgoings

Yimmi Chara’s move to Junior FC was announced by the Timbers on Tuesday, Jan. 2, officially marking the end of an underwhelming spell at the club. Yimmi departs Portland after four seasons with 15 goals and 29 assists in 102 regular season games, never quite reaching the expectations many supporters had for him given his transfer fee and salary.

Image Credit: Portland Timbers

Yimmi becomes the latest in a now-lengthy list of first-team players to leave the Timbers this offseason, and opens up a second designated player spot for the Timbers after the departures of Jarosław Niezgoda and Sebastián Blanco.

Rumors

Sam covered the Gabriel Pec to Portland rumor in the aforementioned offseason roundup, as well as Flamengo’s reported interest in signing Evander, but there have been interesting developments to both stories.

Venê Casagrande and Brazilian outlet ge Vasco claim that the LA Galaxy have made a larger bid for Pec than the club-record $10 million the Timbers paid for Evander last offseason. If I were a betting man and the reported proposal from the Galaxy is true, I’d wager that prices the Timbers out of the Pec sweepstakes.

Speaking of Evander, Flamengo’s interest is real, but their offer didn’t match the Timbers valuation and the Timbers don’t want to sell. However, Tom Bogert reported that the Timbers were one of the clubs interested in USMNT attacking midfielder Djordje Mihailovic before the Colorado Rapids won the battle for his services.

Mihailovic and Evander occupy the same #10 position, and with Portland’s midfield as crowded as it is at the moment, any potential big-money incoming at the position would come as an eye-raiser. I don’t have any insider knowledge of the situation, but if the club are targeting high-profile attacking midfielders Evander’s would-be departure to Brazil might be more than just smoke. Definitely something to keep an eye on as the window progresses.

So, as currently constructed, this is what the Timbers 2024 roster looks like:

(Making spreadsheets is my passion)

I think you can confidently file goalkeeper, center back, and center midfield under “sorted,” but oh boy do the Timbers look thin at fullback and striker. Luckily we’re still about a month away from the club traveling down to Coachella for preseason, but time is ticking if the Timbers want most of their business sorted by the start of camp.

Having said that, I really like what they’ve done so far this offseason. Crépeau and Miller are two big additions to the backline that will help shore up what has been a leaky defense in recent years, and the players the Timbers have moved on from have opened up a lot of cap room to further upgrade the roster.