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The rest of the offseason has consisted of clearing out end-of-the-roster players and then getting into a game of chicken with both Gaston Sauro and Kekuta Manneh. Both are reportedly in negotiations to come back to the team, but given Columbus's depth at both center back and on the wing (especially after picking up Mike Grella), it's hard to see how either would fit. So if they do indeed re-sign one of or both of these guys, take that as presaging more big(-ish) moves to come.
I'm not sure what to make of either the Ola Kamara or Gyasi Zardes rumors. Kamara came up small in the playoffs, but that's not a good enough reason to cut bait given how productive he's been since winning the starting job and the fact that he's in the prime of his career. As for Zardes... where does he fit? Even if the Galaxy add sweeteners (picks, TAM, General Allocation Money), how does this potential move make any sense?
The other thing to keep an eye on is left back. Both Jukka Raitala and Waylon Francis are gone, which means there will be at least one new arrival.
JAN. 2 UPDATE:Out goes Manneh, to Pachuca. He's one of a glut of young MLSers to have left this winter on a free transfer (Ambroise Oyongo, Erik Palmer-Brown and Joevin Jones also headed elsewhere), which is no bueno for a league trying to establish itself on the global market. MLS GMs have to get better at reading the tea leaves.
Elsewhere, they're continuing their tango with 19-year-old Argentine left back Milton Valenzuela from Newell's Old Boys. No news on that since before Christmas, but my guess is he ends up in Ohio.
I'm less sure about Uruguayan striker Santiago "Morro" Garcia, who's also reportedly of interest to Gregg Berhalter & Co. If he's incoming, then expect Kamara to be outgoing.
JAN. 24 UPDATE: Well, there it is. Columbus shipped Kamara to the Galaxy for $400,000 of xAM (it could climb to $500,000 if Kamara goes for 12+ goals this year) and... Gyasi Zardes.
- That's a decent amount of allocation cash
- Zardes has been a good goalscorer in MLS before
- That sure was a long time ago
Look, Zardes didn't score 16 goals by accident in 2014. He was a key part of what was, in my opinion, the best attack in MLS history. He scored a goal in MLS Cup and generally looked the part of a top-flight striker, even if his movement was mechanical and his first touch was often, ah, wanting.
But yeah, that sure was a long time ago. Berhalter got himself a reclamation project here, and he's able to coax 15+ goals out of Gyasi it will go a long way towards burnishing his resume as a Center Forward Whisperer. And it's not at all out of the realm of possibilities that Zardes could be that productive again, given that Crew SC under Berhalter have one of the most wide-open and productive attacks in the league. Think it's a coincidence that Kei Kamara had his only great season as a pro there? Or that Ola – a decent-at-best goalscorer in Norway – suddenly turned into an A+ threat in MLS?
Everything that Columbus does is designed to generate tap-in chances for the No. 9. As one MLS front-office type put it to me, "I'm fairly certain Columbus could net me five." Whatever people give you for Gyasi's over/under this year, you'd be wise to hammer the "over."
The other big move of the past few weeks was getting young (21) Venezuelan playmaker Eduardo Sosa, who I have literally never seen play soccer. Your guess is as good as mine.
The next big move will presumably be one of two things: They'll sign Valenzuela from Newell's Old Boys, or they'll trade Justin Meram who, like Kamara, requested a trade.
I think both these deals get done eventually. Teams are burning up the phones for Meram, and obviously the Argentina-to-MLS pipeline is flowing, which should ease the acquisition process with regard to Valenzuela.
