EL KAKU AN ARGENTINIAN BULL
New York Red Bulls are reportedly chasing Argentine winger Alejandro Romero Gamarra, commonly known as “El Kaku”. The transfer fee is the rather significant sum of $6.25 million and his club, Huracan, will retain 20 percent of any future transfer fee. The 22-year-old winger has spent his entire career with Argentine club Huracan and played three matches for Argentina at the 2015 U-20 World Cup.
What is more interesting about this transfer is that it could signal the end of Red Bulls’ reliance on Bradley Wright-Phillips despite BWP retaining a consistent goal-threat. He struck up a solid partnership with Daniel Royer in the second half of the 2017 season but when Wright-Phillips is on a lean run, the team do struggle for goals. A winger with technical skill could help further unlock the offense and ease the attacking burden while providing youth and athleticism that should fit nicely with their high press.
MLS IN THE ALEJANDRO MELO MIX
Argentina’s El Tucumano indicates that 21-year-old Alejandro Melo, on loan from San Lorenzo at Atletico Tucuman, has been subject of a $2.5 million transfer fee offer by a mystery club.
Depending on who you choose to believe, the 21-year-old could be on his way to MLS… or Cultural Leonesa… or Grasshopper in Switzerland… or Leeds United.
RE-ROUTING OF VARGAS
A report in Chile has Montreal Impact casting an eye over 20-year-old forward, Jeisson Vargas, who is under contract with Serie A side Bologna, where coincidentally Impact owner Joey Saputo is Chairman and majority shareholder.
Vargas has been on loan at Universidad Católica and they would like to keep him but Bologna’s board may have other plans. Vargas plays the majority of his football on the left wing, and has scored one goal in the current campaign.
HUTCHINSON TO CANADA… AGAIN
In what appears to be an ongoing saga, Atiba Hutchinson has once again been linked to a Canadian club. TVA Sports’ Vincent Destouches and a Turkish report on Tuesday claimed that the Montreal Impact are interested in the longtime Besiktas and Canada national team central midfielder.
Hutchinson is 35-years-old now but is still a regular for his Turkish club, appearing in 15 league and 5 Champions League matches this season already. They take on the mighty Bayern Munich in the first knockout round in February.
Having collected clubs like a stamp collector collects… um… stamps… Hutchinson started with Swedish club Osters in 2003, then jumped to Helsingborg in 2004. A switch to Danish titans Copenhagen followed in 2006, before he eventually transferred to Dutch side PSV Eindhoven in 2010. He moved to Besiktas in 2013. He is a member of the all-time Canadian men’s national team Best XI, Hutchinson has six goals in 78 international caps for Canada.
Any Other Business…
Columbus Crew have made another bid for Milton Valenzuela but it appears to have been turned down… Joel Qwiberg joined San Jose Earthquakes in order to be closer to his Columbian roots… With Giovanni Savarese installed as the Portland Timbers’ next coach, club owner Merritt Paulson has tweeted that new additions will be coming very shortly.
