According to Turkish journalist Sercan Dikme and as reported by Fotospor, 2016-17 Super Lig champions Besiktas (as well as current UEFA Champions League Round of 16 finalists) have signed Canadian international Cyle Larin from Orlando City SC.
Pablo Aguilar has officially left Club América and "Las águilas" fans are losing their minds. Everyone is wondering how Club América came to even think of allowing arguably their most reliable player to leave the club.
Aguilar is no doubt one of the best defenders in Liga MX. Four years ago, Aguilar joined Club América from Tijuana and proved to be one of the best purchases the club has made in recent times. Now Aguilar is headed back to Tijuana.
The most expensive buyout clauses prove there is good money in soccer. Think about how many millionaires (and now billionaires) from across the world invest in football clubs. Perhaps one of the most immediate parameters to understanding just how much dough is going around the soccer market is to consider the most expensive buyout clauses in world football.
Atlanta United are officially terrifying. After an impressive first season in Major League Soccer, Tata Martino's team has gotten even better with Wednesday's addition of former Portland Timbers midfielder Darlington Nagbe.
The USA international is one of the best creative midfielders in MLS, and will make an Atlanta United attack that already features the likes of Josef Martinez and Miguel Almiron even more vicious.
U.S. & The A.
The Vancouver Whitecaps pulled off what might be one of the biggest moves of the MLS offseason on Thursday, signing Venezuela international Anthony Blondell. The striker led the Primera Division in Venezuela with 23 goals in 2017, leading Monagas SC to the Torneo Apertura title.
Anthony Blondell (pronounced blun-dell) could be a coup for the Whitecaps. At 23 years old, he’s an emerging star, having made his international debut earlier this month. His 2017 haul of 23 goals came in 33 starts and 37 appearances and many of them were impressive strikes.
Monday marked Contract Deadline Day in Major League Soccer, meaning that all clubs (apart from the four still participating in the MLS Cup playoffs) had to announce which player contract options they’d picked up and which players they’d effectively cut.
You could forgive Bill Hamid for electing to stay with DC United for the rest of his playing career — he’s got a pretty good thing going in the nation’s capital. Having risen through the ranks of the club’s youth system, Hamid established himself as the team’s No. 1 over the course of eight stellar seasons, including a 2014 campaign that saw him named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.
You know how Neymar left Barcelona for PSG? Well, apparently that move was in the works for a long time. As far back as Messi's wedding, if Xavi Hernandez is to be believed.
Here's what Xavi told the BBC World Service:
Claudio Pizarro doesn’t have amazing speed. He doesn’t dominate with his strength. He doesn’t even really look like much of a striker (maybe a defender). But all he does is score goals year after year. Now the soon-to-be 39-year-old is returning to the Bundesliga. Claudio Pizarro signed with FC Cologne on a one-year contract on Friday.
Apparently, even eSports talents can get sent out on loan. Ajax, for decades a premier producer of precocious players, is also one of the frontrunners in the eSports world. On Thursday they signed new player Lev Vinken to their squad — and immediately sent him out on loan to league rival Sparta Rotterdam.