Honduran media reports Vida left back Brayan Garcia, a 22-year-old national team player, will trial with the MLS club in Bradenton, Fla. Spanish story here. No official confirmation from DCU, but Garcia’s representative told the Insider he arrived from Honduras last night and will begin training today.
Last week, the club identified eight trialists (plus two unsigned draft picks) for the first stage of training camp. It will pare the list and add others ahead of the second stage in Sarasota, Fla., starting Feb. 11. By that time, United hopes to have signed one or two higher-profile players from abroad.
“Ideally, we would like to add players as soon as possible, but we want to make the best long-term decisions,” General Manager Dave Kasper said. This is a key week for player movement as most countries close their transfer window by Feb. 2.
One of the trialists, Costa Rican defensive midfielder Ariel Rodriguez, has always wanted to play in MLS and was granted permission by Alajuelense to work out with United, Kasper said. The club submitted a discovery claim with MLS.
While the club enters its fifth day of workouts in Bradenton, United’s Markus Halsti remains in Washington with his expecting wife. He will probably report by Monday.
Still no European destination for outgoing midfielder Perry Kitchen, who rejected United’s contract offers. He remains with the U.S. national team in Carson, Calif. United retains his MLS rights, but he is not returning to Washington; both sides have moved on.
Another former DCU regular, Chris Pontius, is embracing a fresh start after seven years (and several injury setbacks) in Washington.
At Philadelphia Union training camp, he told the gathered media: “Seven years in one place, it was a long time. I got into too much of a routine, and I wasn’t pushing myself every day like I know I could. And I knew Philly’s a place where I can change things up and give me a fresh start. … The biggest thing for me – every time I walked into that stadium, I thought about injuries. … It got very monotonous for me in D.C., and I felt like I needed a shakeup.”
WASHINGTON SPIRIT
The NWSL club is awaiting official word on Canadian national team allocations. It appears midfielder Diana Matheson will return to Washington, and goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe and a central defender are on the way. Ali Krieger and Crystal Dunn are the Spirit’s U.S. allocations.
The league schedule has yet to be announced, but based on preseason and international schedules, opening weekend is April 16-17. The Olympics will necessitate an extended break. Training camps are expected to open March 14.
The Spirit announced four preseason friendies, all at Maryland SoccerPlex: University of Virginia (March 19), Penn State (March 26), North Carolina (April 2) and Duke (April 9).
AMERICANS ABROAD
After four years in Portugal, American-Australian goalkeeper Caleb Patterson-Sewell has signed with NASL expansion Rayo OKC.
Defender Geoff Cameron remained out with an ankle injury for Stoke City’s defeat on penalty kicks to Liverpool in the second leg of the League Cup semifinals.
Eric Lichaj played 90 minutes at right back in Nottingham Forest’s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace.
In Tijuana’s 2-1 Copa MX victory over Murcielagos, 20-year-old attacker Amando Moreno scored the match winner in the 86th minute after entering early in the second half. Defender Michael Orozco and forward Paul Arriola logged 90 minutes, and midfielder Fernando Arce entered in the 87th.
In Dorados’ 2-1 Copa MX defeat at Universidad Guadalajara, midfielder Sonny Guadarrama scored in the 65th during a 90-minute outing. Midfielder Joe Corona also played the entire match.
