- The lowdown on the Miazga transfer from NYRB's perspective:
I'd guess they made him an offer in the ballpark of $750k, but Chelsea was calling and it was time for Miazga to go. It's good business for NYRB. It's hard to believe that it was only a few years ago that NYRB had a terrible reputation as a spot for youth players, but the Miazga success story and the fact that pretty much all their depth signings this winter are from their academy signal an important sea change.
All that being said, I have a feeling that NYRB will take a step back in 2016. Miazga is a huge loss for which Ronald Zubar or Karl Ouimette won't be able even come close to compensating. They were also quite dependent on the health of the McCarty/Felipe/Kljestan triumvirate in 2015. Their depth in CM is young and inexperienced, so if guys miss time in 2016 it will be tough if the kids can't step up. Time to learn more about Jesse March's ability, really.
- Sporting KC has sold winger Krisztian Nemeth to Al-Gharafa in Qatar for around $3m and a sell-on percentage. That's a big blow for KC. Nemeth isn't a player they'd want to ship out since he was great in 2015,
but apparently he wanted out. Not ideal, but at least $3m is a solid return on a player acquired on a free last winter. Nemeth used the opportunity to get back into Hungary's NT, and stuff like that that signals that MLS is not the death knell of an international career is a positive in terms of attracting players in the future.
- More details about
Marco Pappa's stabbing, including "two to three inch wounds". Mastroeni said his fitness levels are 2.5 weeks behind everyone else, which isn't so bad with all things considered.
- NYCFC acquired French center back Frédéric Brillant from Oostende in Belgium. Their CBs were crap in 2015, so it seems like he stands a good chance of starting. His current competition are holdovers Jefferson Mena and Jason Hernandez, as well as Ethan White.
- NYCFC also released Chris Wingert. He's been a solid veteran who has slowed down in the last couple of years. Wingert was used as a CB in 2015, where he wasn't very good. He's a natural LB, but NYC has moved on by signing a couple of young players from Latin America, so it made sense to clear him off the roster.
- Vancouver has taken Scottish/Canadian right back Fraser Aird on loan from Rangers. He's a young player and he hasn't gotten much time in Scotland this season.
- Orlando City released Portuguese/Angolan defensive midfielder Estrela, one of their young foreign imports who didn't work out. He was buried in 2015, so no surprise here.