I was not even remotely expecting the Timbers to solve all their numerous problems in one single window. Given that, I'm extremely happy with what's been done so far; even if they struggle to score goals as currently rostered, this defense is shaping up to not give many up either.
I will absolutely take it because it's a great move for the Timbers, but why LAFC decided that Lloris is a better option at GK than a young keeper still firmly in his prime just absolutely boggles my mind. Sometimes the relentless chase of the Next Big Name just for the sake of it isn't the best idea, but in this case it benefits the Timbers, so good for LAFC I guess.
LAFC moved on from Crepeau because he rightfully wanted more than his 2023 salary of $350,000, which was less than what 22 other keepers made last season. Instead they signed Lloris for that same salary, though there likely is other compensation we don't know about. Then they let Crepeau's able backup John McCarthy move to the Galaxy as a free agent.
LAFC has traded or not resigned several key players this offseason. Some of it appears motivated by cost-cutting and making money by selling players.
Eric Miller just re-signed for two years. Instant depth piece. Glad to see it happen, he's one of those guys MLS teams need to have around - knows how to play in this league, isn't going to win any awards but won't really mess up all that much either.
For sure. But at least specific needs are being addressed, which is good to see. No more scattershot "who does GW like this window oh this guy let's see where he fits" BS like in past years.
I think we're done signing people at CB for now. We have 5 rostered CBs and there has been zero rumors about Zuparic actually leaving. Meanwhile, like you said, we are super thin at FB and we also have no wingers and a thin striker corps.
Portland gonna Portland lol...... Evander is actually naturally an 8 and Djordje a 10, there actually isn't a problem with having both of them we're just conditioned to playing players out of position....
Evander could MAYBE play as an 8 in a a formation with two 8s where the other has some defensive chops, but absolutely isn't one in formation that also includes Djordje. The midfield would be a total sieve.
In a physical, transition-based league like MLS still is, he certainly fits better as a 10.
He's a really good player. It was hard not to notice how well he did at West Ham a few years ago. He could play wing, but he seems more suited to being the 10. Very technical, clinical finisher, exciting player. I think he would shred the MLS. I hope he comes.
We'll see what happens in the next week or so. Still lots to sort out - Evander (?), a 9?, backup defensive pieces?
Evander as a false 9 in a 3-4-1-2 would be awesome. I don't like aging players but a 2 year deal with option for 3rd on a 31 year old would be a good deal.
Having 10 of our 28 roster slots* filled with goalkeepers and centerbacks with no backups at fullback and 2.5 wingers (assuming that Loria goes to Saprissa as rumored and Moreno gets to play more central leaving us with Asprilla and Antony on the wing) is wild. I imagine we *have* to see some more movement before the season starts.
*I know we formally get 30, but 29 and 30 have to be filled with homegrowns.
Phew. I was worried about those two underwhelming keepers. Crepeau on the other hand is a very good keeper. A real leader on the pitch and very tough. Excellent signing!
Three academy kids signing for T2 and one academy homegrown Sawyer Jura joining the first team. Really hope Neville puts more emphasis on the academy, and this is a good first step. For competitive reasons I don’t want Jura playing more than emergency or garbage minutes (or giving him time while we’re up by 3+ goals, if that ever happens), but happy to see it!
I know we’re all accustomed to being angry at our FO (for good reason), but looking around the league, man it could be so much worse. Dallas just signed 35 year old washed Omar Gonzalez. Been mostly crickets for teams like Houston, Austin, DC, RSL, San Jose, and poor Minnesota have an interim manager *to the interim.* We still have lots of work to do but we’ve been doing lots of good business. Maybe it’ll all come crashing down once games start -- after all Phil Neville is still our coach -- but it’s hard to not be thrilled with the past 10 days. The DP signing(s) will be huge, I think that will really determine how competitive we will be
I don't track players at a super granular level, since I really only ever pay attention to one other team in one other league, so I don't have a wish list of 10 specific players I'd like to see or whatever. I will say that - and I know this isn't really a super hot take - I'd like to see a DP striker and a DP midfielder, preferably a central midfield type; who that is in particular, I'll leave to others to hash out.
You gotta go goal dangerous winger with one of those DPs. We have a ton of relatively capable central midfielders on the roster (and already have a DP spot used up there) but only something like 2.5 rostered wingers (Asprilla, Antony, and Moreno) depending on what happens with Loria. Out of those guys Asprilla is the only one that has been a consistent, if limited, scoring threat.
He definitely took a step back before his injury. I hope he comes back strong in all senses of the phrase; I like him a lot and want him to be as good as I think he showed early on. Lots of pressure on him this year for sure. He should be ready for preseason? I think? He tore his ACL in April, and it's usually about a nine or 10 month recovery, so even if he's not ready for day 1 of preseason, he should be back in full-game contention by April at the latest I'd think.
Center back is definitely not sorted yet. Miller was a good pickup and I like the starting duo, but between international duty, injuries, rest, and suspensions, each could miss a third of the season. Or more. And of course on international duty you lose both at the same time. Zuparic is likely gone, and Araujo was dreadful in his appearances last year--so bad that at the end of season Mabiala was chosen over him even when he was available. And of course Mabiala is cooked and if there's anybody home in the front office should not be on the roster when the season starts.. Unless Zuparic has reconsidered and would be enthusiastic about staying, the club desperately needs another quality piece at CB, unless Clegg is ready to step up.
God MLS "journos" are dumb as hell. That's what we need. Another player going into their 30's on a multi year deal. Getfoh. We need a 23 to 27 year old striker.
The Portland Timbers have shopped in Liga MX for a No. 9 before and they could do it again this offseason.
Harold Preciado has been consistently productive for Santos Laguna in Mexico over the last two seasons. The Colombian was in especially hot form in the 2023 Apertura, scoring 12 goals in less than 1,600 minutes. At 29, Preciado would be a plug-and-play option up top for new head coach Phil Neville, using his sharp movement in the box and height to capitalize on all sorts of passes from his teammates."
What the Timbers need and what is available in any given window doesn't always overlap. I don't know this kid, but that description doesn't scare me, at the right price.
That's the thing. This was about what teams should do with their open dp spots. 29 year old on a dp deal, no thanks. Dps are will Wonka golden tickets. Don't waste them on players that 1. Are at the age that their body can't recover from an injury. 2. Are going to have no resale value at the end of contract. That's just bad business.
Like a have stated a million times. Portland HAS TO become a develope and sell team. We will never compete with big markets and "go to" destinations. We don't have the financial power. The best thing Portland can do is become a preferred destination for young players. If I were Portland I would be lining up meetings with a lot of clubs outside of the top 6 leagues. I would use the massive market in America as a selling point for them to transfer their young talent to Portland. America had a much larger reach in the marketing world. Making sure there was a 40% sell on clause in the transfer for all players. This would allow us to get them on a cheap transfer and under the salary cap. First Portland need to build itself up as a club that gives young players opportunities in the first team. Something we haven't done. We also need to spend big on getting the right coaches in place to develop a system for these young kids, that elevates them to play at the highest level.
I absolutely HATE the short sighted approach Portland has taken over the years. It's a here and now approach and they haven't even been good at that. We could have already built our brand as a develop and sell team. One young players from smaller countries would want to go to.
While I wouldn't mind the whole become-a-develop-and-sell team thing, I do quibble a bit with this:
"We don't have the financial power."
The Timbers absolutely have that power. They have almost the same exact financial profile as the Sounders - overall value, revenue, etc are all within a couple million dollars of each other - and yet the Timbers spend $4M/year less in payroll. Why is that? Is it because the Paulson family doesn't have the money? Or is it because they don't want to spend the money? I'll give you one guess.
Yes, the Sounders sell about 9K more/game (which is tickets sold, not butts in seats). But if we are to believe that HP/MP wants the Timbers to be one of the elite teams in the league, there is literally nothing financially stopping them from doing so, and no reason they'd need to rely on beer sales in-stadium to fund a major player acquisition instead of just signing a DP like Pec for $14M instead of $10, if that keeps him out of the hands of LAG.
Financially, they could have outbid LAG for Pec, they could be players for pretty much any major signing they wanted to, they just show no indication of wanting to.
"We will never compete with big markets and "go to" destinations"
While this is true in a lot of cases, building a team that wins a lot can mitigate that. How does Columbus continue to draw the Lucas Zelarayans and Cucho Hernandezes of the world? Why on earth would a player from abroad go to Columbus, Ohio? Two reasons: money and a chance at winning.
Portland hasn't offered much of the latter recently, so they have gone bigger on the former lately. If the winning follows, there's no reason they can't bring in top-line players. Not every one, not every time, but Portland could absolutely become a destination of choice if the Paulsons wanted it to be. But they don't.
"Financially, they could have outbid LAG for Pec, they could be players for pretty much any major signing they wanted to, they just show no indication of wanting to."
Pardon my - typically - naive question, but are there caps on transfer fees / salaries for DPs? And we've got two slots open since Niezgoda and Yimmi are out of here? I'm just trying to get a sense of how much money MP could afford to drop on a couple of players of Pec's caliber, but isn't.
There aren't. That's actually the point of a DP. The way it works, basically, is that a Designated Player's salary only counts for a certain set amount against the team's salary cap, called the "maximum budget charge" (last year, that was $651,250, but that amount rises every year), but the team's ownership can pay the player any amount they want above and beyond that. If a DP joins in the summer window, their budget charge is half that amount for that season only ($325,625).
The rule was invented to bring David Beckham to the Galaxy at a time when MLS' salary cap was even stricter than it is now, and it's a pretty handy way to work within that structure. Any team can have up to three DP's (there's a youth wrinkle to that that started last year, but that's not important for this example), if their ownership is willing to pay for them beyond the $1.95M those three players cost against the salary cap; it's just a question of how deep an owner wants their pockets to be.
There's no real cap on transfer fees, either; it's just again what an owner is willing to pay for.
The Paulson family may not be multi-billionaires like the Kroenkes, Steve Cohen, or other famous megarich ownership families, but they are billionaires; in this example, they could easily have afforded to outbid LAG on Pec had they wanted to. They probably wouldn't be players for every single eight-figure free agent who wanted to play in MLS, but there's no financial reason they couldn't go after anyone they chose to.
Maybe we need a couple of celebs to buy the team, spend money like drunken sailors and make an comic - irony infused documentary series about it. Seems like a working formula elsewhere lol
Honest to god I would love for that to happen. Not necessarily just two, but an LAFC-style consortium of like 10-15 well-moneyed people buying and then running the team? Yes please.
Also as much as it would be awesome for a Rob/Ryan style takeover to happen, even with two different celebrities, the asking price for Wrexham was just under $3M. The Timbers would cost close to $650M. So unless those two celebrities are, like, Oprah and George Clooney? yeah, probably not.
It's apples and oranges, really. Not sure there's as much incentive in MLS. Not much incentive for MP to sell, not much incentive for anyone else to buy, and not really as much incentive for PTFC to succeed, relative to a team like Wrexham.
Yeah, that's all true. Which is too bad, because MLS kinda used to be that small-scale? I mean, I like that they're growing, but the cost of that is that MLS is becoming a big corporate entity now as opposed to something more locally-oriented, which is a loss in my eyes. But I also like that MLS is becoming a destination for overseas talent, so the growth is worth it in some ways? I guess? Can't stay a kid forever, I guess...hahaha.
Hmmmm if the money is equal, and apparently the Timbers were at least in the neighborhood, I wonder why a young rich athlete would choose LA over Portland...
I wonder if it was just a way of getting lag to pull the trigger? Use us to push them into it. Seems weird it just came out we were looking at him and a couple days later he is finalizing a deal with LAG
Given this - unexpectedly good- transfer window news, I'm curious how people here feel about the status of the midfield. Stoked on Paredes and Chara, or do we lack depth here? What do we need to unlock Evander / Moreno super powers?
For at least the last five years, I've said something along the lines of "Diego Chara is eventually gonna lose a step, the Timbers gotta adjust to that", and then, he basically doesn't. Or when he does, he actually adjusts himself, and is still a pretty damn effective player.
That said, he's gonna be 38 in April, and time doesn't care how good you were 10 years ago. I don't think Chara's a super-sub just yet, but I have a feeling there'll be more 60 minute games in Chara's season than might be expected, and I think that's a good thing. He's a hell of a player and a legend, but he's not immortal, and managing his minutes is going to become increasingly important going forward.
Midfield is definitely the next area that needs depth; I'm OK with starting the season as is, if that's what happens, but summer better bring some reinforcements there for sure.
I feel great about the midfield. I really like every player we have there, the problem is just how they all fit together, and it’s hard to discuss that when we don’t know what formation Neville will play. I think signing an MLS experienced 6 would be great (I’d be thrilled if we brought back Acosta, just on a smaller salary - $730k is a LOT of cap space taken up by a second or third choice midfielder), but if injuries kill us again, Paredes can play there decently enough, and I know Williamson has played there before and did alright (not my preferred choice, style of play would have to adjust a ton, but it’s just in case of emergency). We got lots of depth and talent there no matter how we line it up if we stay healthy (KNOCK ON ALL WOOD). Just need one more body in the mix.
Need more depth in other places, midfield is great imo
I don't think the midfield lacks *depth* per se. Sure Chara will likely slow down a hair, but as of right now, we have Chara, Paredes, Williamson, Ayala, and potentially Acosta if they can re-sign him at a reasonable number, and that's not counting Evander and Moreno. Depending on how Williamson and Ayala come back (and how Ayala develops) that's 7 pretty solid midfielders with nobody that I'm like "Oh hell, no! XXX just came on the field" or "God dammit, we have to roll out XXX because Chara is out on yellows."
It's a pretty deep midfield even if there isn't anyone that is league-breaking caliber (although there's potential). Winger, fullback, and striker are *waaaaay* thinner, so I would not be super mad if Ned prioritized those positions instead of messing around with the midfield. There's enough midfield talent on the roster to unlock Evander/Moreno and really it's more up to Neville to figure out a system that can do that.
He reportedly asked for a trade at the end of the season. Whether that is still something he wants with all these changes, who knows, but I'd love it if he stuck around.
I do too, he has been the experienced heart of our central defense. I hope he reconsiders in light of the recent moves. I like 3 at the back with the outside backs flying up and down the wings.
Given his best buddy Ivacic's drama with and exit from the club, he doesn't want to stick around. He'd be great CB depth if he stayed, but he's likely gonna be moved so he doesn't get a chance to become a headache like his drama queen friend.
There has been absolutely zero indication that Zuparic has been a clubhouse issue, ever, as Ivacic has been reported to have been almost constantly in the last year. In fact it's quite the opposite - Zup showed up here, in a brand new country and without his family, right before the pandemic (signed in Nov 2019), and the Timbers were literally the only thing he had during lockdown. He spoke some Italian, so he could talk to Gio, but there weren't other Croatians on the team, and there wasn't a strong Croatian community here he could reach out to, so he was almost completely isolated for his first year here except for his limited-language interactions with his teammates and the staff.
He made it through that year without complaint and has been a fantastic Timber ever since, and I have no doubt that if he were to stay that wouldn't change.
Yeah, I didn't mean to imply he's been a problem to this point, or that he would become as big a malcontent as Ivacic (I doubt that's even possible). From what I've seen of his tenure here he's a professional and wouldn't want to alienate the whole organization like his buddy did. But I still wouldn't want to hold onto a guy who's clearly stated he doesn't want to be here. You're not likely to get his best, and he makes a lot of money for someone who won't be a first choice CB anymore.
I was not even remotely expecting the Timbers to solve all their numerous problems in one single window. Given that, I'm extremely happy with what's been done so far; even if they struggle to score goals as currently rostered, this defense is shaping up to not give many up either.
I will absolutely take it because it's a great move for the Timbers, but why LAFC decided that Lloris is a better option at GK than a young keeper still firmly in his prime just absolutely boggles my mind. Sometimes the relentless chase of the Next Big Name just for the sake of it isn't the best idea, but in this case it benefits the Timbers, so good for LAFC I guess.
LAFC moved on from Crepeau because he rightfully wanted more than his 2023 salary of $350,000, which was less than what 22 other keepers made last season. Instead they signed Lloris for that same salary, though there likely is other compensation we don't know about. Then they let Crepeau's able backup John McCarthy move to the Galaxy as a free agent.
LAFC has traded or not resigned several key players this offseason. Some of it appears motivated by cost-cutting and making money by selling players.
So we finally see the better side of the Steve Clark Problem, but with a vastly better keeper. I like it.
Eric Miller just re-signed for two years. Instant depth piece. Glad to see it happen, he's one of those guys MLS teams need to have around - knows how to play in this league, isn't going to win any awards but won't really mess up all that much either.
Looks like they are focusing on defense first. Still need depth at LB and CB.
For sure. But at least specific needs are being addressed, which is good to see. No more scattershot "who does GW like this window oh this guy let's see where he fits" BS like in past years.
I think we're done signing people at CB for now. We have 5 rostered CBs and there has been zero rumors about Zuparic actually leaving. Meanwhile, like you said, we are super thin at FB and we also have no wingers and a thin striker corps.
Portland gonna Portland lol...... Evander is actually naturally an 8 and Djordje a 10, there actually isn't a problem with having both of them we're just conditioned to playing players out of position....
Evander could MAYBE play as an 8 in a a formation with two 8s where the other has some defensive chops, but absolutely isn't one in formation that also includes Djordje. The midfield would be a total sieve.
In a physical, transition-based league like MLS still is, he certainly fits better as a 10.
Evander an 8? Have you watched him on defense?
I think Djordje is going to Colorado
Yup, and that's fine by me, I didn't really want him here anyway regardless of position.
Jesse lingard? Hmmmm
He's a really good player. It was hard not to notice how well he did at West Ham a few years ago. He could play wing, but he seems more suited to being the 10. Very technical, clinical finisher, exciting player. I think he would shred the MLS. I hope he comes.
We'll see what happens in the next week or so. Still lots to sort out - Evander (?), a 9?, backup defensive pieces?
Evander as a false 9 in a 3-4-1-2 would be awesome. I don't like aging players but a 2 year deal with option for 3rd on a 31 year old would be a good deal.
Having 10 of our 28 roster slots* filled with goalkeepers and centerbacks with no backups at fullback and 2.5 wingers (assuming that Loria goes to Saprissa as rumored and Moreno gets to play more central leaving us with Asprilla and Antony on the wing) is wild. I imagine we *have* to see some more movement before the season starts.
*I know we formally get 30, but 29 and 30 have to be filled with homegrowns.
Phew. I was worried about those two underwhelming keepers. Crepeau on the other hand is a very good keeper. A real leader on the pitch and very tough. Excellent signing!
I saw the winter wonderland workout video. Pretty cool. Saw Dario, Eryk, DC, Santi, an untan Phil et al, but no Evander. Is he in town?
Jesse Lingard?
https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/jesse-lingard-mls-move-portland-timbers-free-transfer-link-up-phil-neville/blt3038ef4c3f52ad5e
Three academy kids signing for T2 and one academy homegrown Sawyer Jura joining the first team. Really hope Neville puts more emphasis on the academy, and this is a good first step. For competitive reasons I don’t want Jura playing more than emergency or garbage minutes (or giving him time while we’re up by 3+ goals, if that ever happens), but happy to see it!
I know we’re all accustomed to being angry at our FO (for good reason), but looking around the league, man it could be so much worse. Dallas just signed 35 year old washed Omar Gonzalez. Been mostly crickets for teams like Houston, Austin, DC, RSL, San Jose, and poor Minnesota have an interim manager *to the interim.* We still have lots of work to do but we’ve been doing lots of good business. Maybe it’ll all come crashing down once games start -- after all Phil Neville is still our coach -- but it’s hard to not be thrilled with the past 10 days. The DP signing(s) will be huge, I think that will really determine how competitive we will be
And SKC is signing Gavin as their GM, lol...
Sawyer Jura will be a T2 player for two years and then join the first team in 2026, so never mind the last sentence of my first paragraph.
This is what I get for not reading the press release like an idiot
how would you use the two open dp spots?
I don't track players at a super granular level, since I really only ever pay attention to one other team in one other league, so I don't have a wish list of 10 specific players I'd like to see or whatever. I will say that - and I know this isn't really a super hot take - I'd like to see a DP striker and a DP midfielder, preferably a central midfield type; who that is in particular, I'll leave to others to hash out.
You gotta go goal dangerous winger with one of those DPs. We have a ton of relatively capable central midfielders on the roster (and already have a DP spot used up there) but only something like 2.5 rostered wingers (Asprilla, Antony, and Moreno) depending on what happens with Loria. Out of those guys Asprilla is the only one that has been a consistent, if limited, scoring threat.
I feel like this is a make it or break it year for Eryk Williamson. And I could easily see it going either way.
He definitely took a step back before his injury. I hope he comes back strong in all senses of the phrase; I like him a lot and want him to be as good as I think he showed early on. Lots of pressure on him this year for sure. He should be ready for preseason? I think? He tore his ACL in April, and it's usually about a nine or 10 month recovery, so even if he's not ready for day 1 of preseason, he should be back in full-game contention by April at the latest I'd think.
Center back is definitely not sorted yet. Miller was a good pickup and I like the starting duo, but between international duty, injuries, rest, and suspensions, each could miss a third of the season. Or more. And of course on international duty you lose both at the same time. Zuparic is likely gone, and Araujo was dreadful in his appearances last year--so bad that at the end of season Mabiala was chosen over him even when he was available. And of course Mabiala is cooked and if there's anybody home in the front office should not be on the roster when the season starts.. Unless Zuparic has reconsidered and would be enthusiastic about staying, the club desperately needs another quality piece at CB, unless Clegg is ready to step up.
God MLS "journos" are dumb as hell. That's what we need. Another player going into their 30's on a multi year deal. Getfoh. We need a 23 to 27 year old striker.
"Harold Preciado, Striker - Santos Laguna (Mexico)
The Portland Timbers have shopped in Liga MX for a No. 9 before and they could do it again this offseason.
Harold Preciado has been consistently productive for Santos Laguna in Mexico over the last two seasons. The Colombian was in especially hot form in the 2023 Apertura, scoring 12 goals in less than 1,600 minutes. At 29, Preciado would be a plug-and-play option up top for new head coach Phil Neville, using his sharp movement in the box and height to capitalize on all sorts of passes from his teammates."
What the Timbers need and what is available in any given window doesn't always overlap. I don't know this kid, but that description doesn't scare me, at the right price.
if he comes at reasonable price and not DP wages can get 2-3 more years...
That's the thing. This was about what teams should do with their open dp spots. 29 year old on a dp deal, no thanks. Dps are will Wonka golden tickets. Don't waste them on players that 1. Are at the age that their body can't recover from an injury. 2. Are going to have no resale value at the end of contract. That's just bad business.
Like a have stated a million times. Portland HAS TO become a develope and sell team. We will never compete with big markets and "go to" destinations. We don't have the financial power. The best thing Portland can do is become a preferred destination for young players. If I were Portland I would be lining up meetings with a lot of clubs outside of the top 6 leagues. I would use the massive market in America as a selling point for them to transfer their young talent to Portland. America had a much larger reach in the marketing world. Making sure there was a 40% sell on clause in the transfer for all players. This would allow us to get them on a cheap transfer and under the salary cap. First Portland need to build itself up as a club that gives young players opportunities in the first team. Something we haven't done. We also need to spend big on getting the right coaches in place to develop a system for these young kids, that elevates them to play at the highest level.
I absolutely HATE the short sighted approach Portland has taken over the years. It's a here and now approach and they haven't even been good at that. We could have already built our brand as a develop and sell team. One young players from smaller countries would want to go to.
While I wouldn't mind the whole become-a-develop-and-sell team thing, I do quibble a bit with this:
"We don't have the financial power."
The Timbers absolutely have that power. They have almost the same exact financial profile as the Sounders - overall value, revenue, etc are all within a couple million dollars of each other - and yet the Timbers spend $4M/year less in payroll. Why is that? Is it because the Paulson family doesn't have the money? Or is it because they don't want to spend the money? I'll give you one guess.
Yes, the Sounders sell about 9K more/game (which is tickets sold, not butts in seats). But if we are to believe that HP/MP wants the Timbers to be one of the elite teams in the league, there is literally nothing financially stopping them from doing so, and no reason they'd need to rely on beer sales in-stadium to fund a major player acquisition instead of just signing a DP like Pec for $14M instead of $10, if that keeps him out of the hands of LAG.
Financially, they could have outbid LAG for Pec, they could be players for pretty much any major signing they wanted to, they just show no indication of wanting to.
"We will never compete with big markets and "go to" destinations"
While this is true in a lot of cases, building a team that wins a lot can mitigate that. How does Columbus continue to draw the Lucas Zelarayans and Cucho Hernandezes of the world? Why on earth would a player from abroad go to Columbus, Ohio? Two reasons: money and a chance at winning.
Portland hasn't offered much of the latter recently, so they have gone bigger on the former lately. If the winning follows, there's no reason they can't bring in top-line players. Not every one, not every time, but Portland could absolutely become a destination of choice if the Paulsons wanted it to be. But they don't.
"Financially, they could have outbid LAG for Pec, they could be players for pretty much any major signing they wanted to, they just show no indication of wanting to."
Pardon my - typically - naive question, but are there caps on transfer fees / salaries for DPs? And we've got two slots open since Niezgoda and Yimmi are out of here? I'm just trying to get a sense of how much money MP could afford to drop on a couple of players of Pec's caliber, but isn't.
There aren't. That's actually the point of a DP. The way it works, basically, is that a Designated Player's salary only counts for a certain set amount against the team's salary cap, called the "maximum budget charge" (last year, that was $651,250, but that amount rises every year), but the team's ownership can pay the player any amount they want above and beyond that. If a DP joins in the summer window, their budget charge is half that amount for that season only ($325,625).
The rule was invented to bring David Beckham to the Galaxy at a time when MLS' salary cap was even stricter than it is now, and it's a pretty handy way to work within that structure. Any team can have up to three DP's (there's a youth wrinkle to that that started last year, but that's not important for this example), if their ownership is willing to pay for them beyond the $1.95M those three players cost against the salary cap; it's just a question of how deep an owner wants their pockets to be.
There's no real cap on transfer fees, either; it's just again what an owner is willing to pay for.
The Paulson family may not be multi-billionaires like the Kroenkes, Steve Cohen, or other famous megarich ownership families, but they are billionaires; in this example, they could easily have afforded to outbid LAG on Pec had they wanted to. They probably wouldn't be players for every single eight-figure free agent who wanted to play in MLS, but there's no financial reason they couldn't go after anyone they chose to.
They're moving like they want to win games now, maybe they'll fork out for a couple of strikers / wingers and we're off to the races.
They can spend whatever they want on transfers and their salaries. It only hits the cap at a set amount.
Maybe we need a couple of celebs to buy the team, spend money like drunken sailors and make an comic - irony infused documentary series about it. Seems like a working formula elsewhere lol
Honest to god I would love for that to happen. Not necessarily just two, but an LAFC-style consortium of like 10-15 well-moneyed people buying and then running the team? Yes please.
Also as much as it would be awesome for a Rob/Ryan style takeover to happen, even with two different celebrities, the asking price for Wrexham was just under $3M. The Timbers would cost close to $650M. So unless those two celebrities are, like, Oprah and George Clooney? yeah, probably not.
It's apples and oranges, really. Not sure there's as much incentive in MLS. Not much incentive for MP to sell, not much incentive for anyone else to buy, and not really as much incentive for PTFC to succeed, relative to a team like Wrexham.
Yeah, that's all true. Which is too bad, because MLS kinda used to be that small-scale? I mean, I like that they're growing, but the cost of that is that MLS is becoming a big corporate entity now as opposed to something more locally-oriented, which is a loss in my eyes. But I also like that MLS is becoming a destination for overseas talent, so the growth is worth it in some ways? I guess? Can't stay a kid forever, I guess...hahaha.
Well it looks like pec is off the table. LAG I going for him. They are gonna pay the 10 million. That's a bummer. I actually liked his skill set.
(looks out window)
(sees rain, darkness)
(looks at pics of last trip to Santa Monica)
Hmmmm if the money is equal, and apparently the Timbers were at least in the neighborhood, I wonder why a young rich athlete would choose LA over Portland...
I wonder if it was just a way of getting lag to pull the trigger? Use us to push them into it. Seems weird it just came out we were looking at him and a couple days later he is finalizing a deal with LAG
It was drunkenly suggested on a recent podcast that LAG's recruitment process consists of finding players other teams like then buying them.
Wouldn't surprise me at all. Happens all the time, just ask the Blue Jays how it felt to almost sign Shohei Ohtani.
Given this - unexpectedly good- transfer window news, I'm curious how people here feel about the status of the midfield. Stoked on Paredes and Chara, or do we lack depth here? What do we need to unlock Evander / Moreno super powers?
For at least the last five years, I've said something along the lines of "Diego Chara is eventually gonna lose a step, the Timbers gotta adjust to that", and then, he basically doesn't. Or when he does, he actually adjusts himself, and is still a pretty damn effective player.
That said, he's gonna be 38 in April, and time doesn't care how good you were 10 years ago. I don't think Chara's a super-sub just yet, but I have a feeling there'll be more 60 minute games in Chara's season than might be expected, and I think that's a good thing. He's a hell of a player and a legend, but he's not immortal, and managing his minutes is going to become increasingly important going forward.
Midfield is definitely the next area that needs depth; I'm OK with starting the season as is, if that's what happens, but summer better bring some reinforcements there for sure.
need a competent winger minimum.
I feel great about the midfield. I really like every player we have there, the problem is just how they all fit together, and it’s hard to discuss that when we don’t know what formation Neville will play. I think signing an MLS experienced 6 would be great (I’d be thrilled if we brought back Acosta, just on a smaller salary - $730k is a LOT of cap space taken up by a second or third choice midfielder), but if injuries kill us again, Paredes can play there decently enough, and I know Williamson has played there before and did alright (not my preferred choice, style of play would have to adjust a ton, but it’s just in case of emergency). We got lots of depth and talent there no matter how we line it up if we stay healthy (KNOCK ON ALL WOOD). Just need one more body in the mix.
Need more depth in other places, midfield is great imo
I don't think the midfield lacks *depth* per se. Sure Chara will likely slow down a hair, but as of right now, we have Chara, Paredes, Williamson, Ayala, and potentially Acosta if they can re-sign him at a reasonable number, and that's not counting Evander and Moreno. Depending on how Williamson and Ayala come back (and how Ayala develops) that's 7 pretty solid midfielders with nobody that I'm like "Oh hell, no! XXX just came on the field" or "God dammit, we have to roll out XXX because Chara is out on yellows."
It's a pretty deep midfield even if there isn't anyone that is league-breaking caliber (although there's potential). Winger, fullback, and striker are *waaaaay* thinner, so I would not be super mad if Ned prioritized those positions instead of messing around with the midfield. There's enough midfield talent on the roster to unlock Evander/Moreno and really it's more up to Neville to figure out a system that can do that.
quality wingers. Do we have two dedicated 7s? or just some hybrids we can throw out there. Is Moreno a winger? Asprilla is our best?
don't forget Ayala is coming back.
I wonder if they'll keep Zuparic around
He reportedly asked for a trade at the end of the season. Whether that is still something he wants with all these changes, who knows, but I'd love it if he stuck around.
Got to be tough for him. Believe he has young child, far from home and grandparents. Lots of pressure to return home I am sure.
True but he is probably making a hell of a lot more money here than back home, take advantage of this opportunity to provide for the family, etc.
I do too, he has been the experienced heart of our central defense. I hope he reconsiders in light of the recent moves. I like 3 at the back with the outside backs flying up and down the wings.
Given his best buddy Ivacic's drama with and exit from the club, he doesn't want to stick around. He'd be great CB depth if he stayed, but he's likely gonna be moved so he doesn't get a chance to become a headache like his drama queen friend.
There has been absolutely zero indication that Zuparic has been a clubhouse issue, ever, as Ivacic has been reported to have been almost constantly in the last year. In fact it's quite the opposite - Zup showed up here, in a brand new country and without his family, right before the pandemic (signed in Nov 2019), and the Timbers were literally the only thing he had during lockdown. He spoke some Italian, so he could talk to Gio, but there weren't other Croatians on the team, and there wasn't a strong Croatian community here he could reach out to, so he was almost completely isolated for his first year here except for his limited-language interactions with his teammates and the staff.
He made it through that year without complaint and has been a fantastic Timber ever since, and I have no doubt that if he were to stay that wouldn't change.
Yeah, I didn't mean to imply he's been a problem to this point, or that he would become as big a malcontent as Ivacic (I doubt that's even possible). From what I've seen of his tenure here he's a professional and wouldn't want to alienate the whole organization like his buddy did. But I still wouldn't want to hold onto a guy who's clearly stated he doesn't want to be here. You're not likely to get his best, and he makes a lot of money for someone who won't be a first choice CB anymore.