Soccer <\/p>\n
The 2025 MLS season kicks off in a matter of days \u2013 and eight teams begin competitive matches even sooner, thanks to their participation in the Concacaf Champions Cup<\/a>. It\u2019s just about go time, which means the urgency to complete outstanding transfer dealings is peaking.<\/p>\n There are still some loose ends here and there to be tied up, and the Primary Transfer Window<\/a> remains open through mid-April. But if you want to hit the ground running, it\u2019s an important juncture.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what went down on the market over the past week.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n We\u2019re comfortable calling it the biggest telenovela of this offseason: Lucho Acosta<\/a>\u2019s messy, drawn-out divorce with FC Cincinnati<\/a>. It popped off before the metaphorical body of their 2024 campaign was even cold, mere moments after their Audi MLS Cup Playoffs series loss to New York City FC<\/a> was in the books, and it finally drew to a close on Wednesday<\/a> as the diminutive maestro completed a $5 million-plus cash-for-player trade to FC Dallas<\/a>.<\/p>\n It brings vital closure to Cincy ahead of their CCC opener, with their corresponding move for the Portland Timbers<\/a>\u2019 wantaway playmaker Evander<\/a> now reportedly imminent, which in turn will reportedly allow the Rose City side to clinch their<\/em> corresponding replacement for him, RC Lens No. 10 David Da Costa \u2013 dominos falling from East to West and back again.<\/p>\n And it transforms Dallas\u2019 outlook for 2025, markedly raising the ceiling<\/a> on their rebuilding project.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cYou can’t help but think about the vision of what he’s going to do on the field, and the excitement and passion he’s going to bring to our fan base,\u201d said FCD\u2019s new head coach Eric Quill.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is an acquisition that shows that we want to be winners,\u201d declared their chief soccer officer, Andr\u00e9 Zanotta.<\/p>\n Easy to miss amid all this: FCD also added substantial defensive reinforcements, signing Osaze Urhoghide<\/a> for reportedly $3 million-plus from Amiens SC and young Portuguese-Brazilian center back \u00c1lvaro Augusto<\/a> of Portimonense SC.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Has any striker in contemporary MLS history been more persistently underrated and under the radar than Christian \u201cSuperman\u201d Ram\u00edrez<\/a>?<\/p>\n Maybe it\u2019s because he\u2019s always been willing to leave the brightest spotlights to more famous teammates. Or because he\u2019s from Garden Grove, California instead of S\u00e3o Paulo or Buenos Aires. Or because he painstakingly climbed the domestic pyramid from NAIA college ball to USL PRO to NASL (some bygone acronyms possibly unfamiliar to younger readers) before finally getting his first MLS shot at age 25, when Minnesota United<\/a> joined the top flight in 2017.<\/p>\n Anyway, Superman has been doing the business for some time now, and finally got a bit of shine for his complementary but nevertheless crucial role in the Columbus Crew<\/a>\u2019s past two years of excellence.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Dream come true to be apart of this club, growing up in SoCal being able to watch so many greats put these colors on. Humbled to be here! Let\u2019s get it! ???????????????????????? #LAGalaxy<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/2lsn95mHA0<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Christian Ramirez (@Chris_Ramirez17) February 12, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Now he\u2019s moved to his fifth MLS club<\/a>, traded to the LA Galaxy<\/a> in exchange for $250,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money and $250,000 in conditional 2026 GAM, a timely, experienced replacement for Dejan Jovelji\u0107<\/a>, whose big cash-for-player deal<\/a> to Sporting KC<\/a> we discussed in our previous edition of this notebook. Ram\u00edrez also joins the small yet steadily growing list of players to suit up for both SoCal clubs, having already repped LAFC<\/a> several years ago.<\/p>\n With Riqui Puig<\/a> out long-term and Joseph Paintsil<\/a> reportedly sidelined by a quad injury, the Gs were a tad light in attack and Superman should make a great reference point at the No. 9 spot.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The 2024 champs got some tidy work done on the international front, too. With Riqui rebuilding his ACL and Mark Delgado<\/a> and Gast\u00f3n Brugman<\/a> shipped out to LAFC and Nashville SC<\/a>, respectively, to move towards salary-budget compliance, LA needed help in central midfield. Enter the league’s U22 Initiative to obtain it.<\/p>\n In walks Lucas Sanabria<\/a>, a 21-year-old Uruguayan who can work as both a holding mid and box-to-box presence, blessed with range and tenacity as well as a classy touch on the ball. His performances at Club Nacional had already drawn the attention of his country\u2019s full national team, with La Celeste\u2019s legendary boss Marcelo Bielsa calling him into a World Cup qualifying camp last fall.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Lucas Sanabria is a G ???????????? pic.twitter.com\/EQdPKsGZlQ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 8, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n If he stays on his current trajectory, the reportedly $5 million fee (plus another seven figures\u2019 worth of performance-based add-ons) paid by the Galaxy might eventually look like a bargain. But Sanabria\u2019s facing a steep learning curve in a new land, especially considering the big target now affixed to the Gs\u2019 backs.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Orlando City<\/a> supporters hope their Lions can kick on to unprecedented new heights in year six under Oscar Pareja, having fallen excruciatingly short of their first-ever MLS Cup final a few months ago. A big part of Papi\u2019s recipe has been his rugged central-midfield duo of C\u00e9sar Ara\u00fajo<\/a> and Wilder Cartagena<\/a>, \u201cthose two soldiers that I have in the middle,\u201d in the Colombian coach\u2019s words<\/a> \u2013 but Cartagena looks to be on the shelf<\/a> for several months, having reportedly torn his Achilles tendon in a preseason match.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n
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