Latest news with #MLSSuperDraft
New York Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
USMNT striker Patrick Agyemang subject of $8m offer from Derby County
U.S. men's national team striker Patrick Agyemang is the subject of an offer in the region of $8 million (£5.8m) from English Championship side Derby County, according to multiple sources familiar with the deal, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the negotiations. Advertisement Agyemang has green lit the move to Derby, whose offer has not yet been accepted by Charlotte FC. The 24-year-old has drawn interest from several European clubs dating back to last summer. Charlotte previously rejected a $4 million approach from Luton Town, according to GiveMeSport. Agyemang, 24, has 18 goals and six assists in 63 career games with Charlotte FC. The 6-foot-4 native of East Hartford, Connecticut, played collegiately at Eastern Connecticut State, an NCAA Division III side, and Rhode Island before being drafted 12th overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft. Agyemang made his debut with the U.S. national team this January under coach Mauricio Pochettino, scoring twice across a pair of U.S. wins. Those performances earned him continued call-ups, and he has been the U.S.'s starting striker for this summer's Gold Cup. Agyemang has five goals in 10 U.S. appearances. Derby County finished in 19th place in the Championship in 2024-25, one point out of the relegation zone in England's second tier. It would be a big move at a crucial time for Agyemang. His competition at the forward position with the U.S. squad is deep. One of his rivals for a spot on the 2026 World Cup roster, Josh Sargent, plays in the same league and was one of the Championship's best strikers last season. Agyemang will get plenty of games at Derby, but he'll need to show he can score consistently in order to secure a place on the World Cup roster. Moves in the year leading up to the World Cup always carry risk. There is a good example with the U.S. team: Ricardo Pepi moved from FC Dallas to Augsburg in Germany's Bundesliga in January 2022, less than a year out from the Qatar tournament. Pepi couldn't stay on the field in Germany and despite a loan to Groningen in Holland in September, and a flurry of goals, it wasn't enough to get him back into Gregg Berhalter's squad in the winter. Agyemang has clearly made a good impression on Pochettino but if this deal gets across the line, he'll need his form to carry him through to next summer. (Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images)
Winnipeg Free Press
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Former Toronto FC skipper Michael Bradley starts ‘dream job' with Red Bulls II
Calling it a 'huge huge moment' for the franchise, the New York Red Bulls introduced former Toronto FC captain Michael Bradley as coach of its reserve side Thursday. Bradley, 37, succeeds Ibrahim Sekagya, who was promoted to a full-time assistant coach with the first team after Vedad Ibisevic left the club earlier in the month. Bradley called the Red Bulls II job 'a dream opportunity for a young coach.' 'To be at this club, to be inside the Red Bull family, I couldn't be more excited,' he told a news conference at the Red Bulls training facility in Whippany, N.J. RBNY II (9-2-2) currently tops the MLS Next Pro Eastern Conference, eight places and 12 points ahead of TFC 2 (5-5-3). For Bradley, it's a return to his roots. Born in Princeton, N.J., Bradley turned pro at 16 and was selected 36th overall in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft by the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, then coached by his father Bob Bradley. The MetroStars were sold in 2006 and rebranded as the New York Red Bulls. 'Most importantly this is a leader, a leader that we welcome to our Red Bull family,' said Red Bulls sporting director Julian de Guzman, a former Canada captain and TFC player. 'Somebody who will definitely bring lots of history based on his career and how it started … But also the fact that this is someone who is super-ambitious to take this next step in his career.' Bradley began talks with Mario Gomez, technical director at Red Bull's football department, in late 2024. That led to discussions with Jochen Schneider, the New York Red Bulls head of sport earlier this year. He then spent a month in Europe, including 2 1/2 weeks at Austria's Red Bull Salzburg before spending a few days at Red Bull's office in Munich. 'As a young coach to be able to learn, to see how they do things, to understand everything that goes into Red Bull, in terms of the club, the organization, it was just awesome,' he said. Bradley says, as a coach, he will draw on all his experiences as a player. 'I'm lucky, when you grow up in a house with a coach, you understand quickly what it means to work hard,' he said. 'You understand quickly what it means to commit yourself to your team and your players.' Bradley remains in contact with former Toronto coach Greg Vanney, who's now in charge of the Los Angeles Galaxy. And he also spent some time recently with Juergen Klopp, the former Liverpool manager who is now Red Bull's Head of Global Soccer. 'When you get that opportunity and you hear him talk about the game and you hear the way he speaks and you see his passion and his energy, it's amazing,' he said, Bradley called time on his playing career at the end of the 2023 MLS campaign, his 10th with Toronto FC. He subsequently served as a volunteer coach under his father at Norway's Stabaek and had a brief stint as a guest coach under Jesse Marsch at Canada's camp in Halifax before the recent Canadian Shield Tournament. Bradley, noting Marsch had played for his father at Princeton and the Chicago Fire, said the Canada coach had been one of his role models growing up. 'As a young coach, these different experiences and opportunities are so valuable, just in terms of seeing the way other top coaches are doing things and now using that to help your own ideas,' Bradley said. 'I really really enjoyed those days with Jesse and with Canada. I think they have a really really interesting group of players. Jesse and his staff have a fantastic way of engaging them every single day. 'Again as young coach it was only a few days but I learned an incredible amount and was really appreciative of the opportunity to be there.' After one season with the MetroStars, Bradley left for Europe to play for Heerenveen in the Netherlands, Borussia Moenchengladbach in Germany, Aston Villa in England, and Chievo Verona and Roma in Italy before signing with Toronto. Bradley played 308 games in Toronto colours, signing with England star forward Jermain Defoe ahead of the 2014 season. Bradley led TFC during its glory days, winning four Canadian Championships (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020), the 2017 MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield. He won 151 caps for the United States from 2006 to 2019, captaining the side 44 times. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Bradley's first game in charge of New York Red Bulls II is Saturday against Carolina Core FC. He will be back in Toronto to face TFC II on July 11 Bradley, who has not been back to Toronto since January 2024, said he is looking forward to returning. He noted the Toronto ties in the Red Bulls organization, citing de Guzman and Tiger Fitzpatrick, the club's head of pro player pathway. A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Fitzpatrick was technical director for the Toronto Skillz FC Academy from October 2012 to November 2017. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2025.
Toronto Star
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Cavalry FC's Shamit Shome changes international allegiance to Bangladesh from Canada
Cavalry FC midfielder Shamit Shome, who won two caps for Canada in 2020, has switched his international allegiance to Bangladesh. The 27-year-old Shome was born in Edmonton to parents who came from Bangladesh in their 20s. FIFA has approved his application for a one-time change of association from Canada, meaning he could represent No. 183 Bangladesh in the June international window, which includes a 2027 Asia Cup qualifying match against No. 161 Singapore on June 10 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Like other countries, including Canada, Bangladesh has reached out to eligible footballers to build its roster. Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury, a former England under-21 player who was born in England to a father from Grenada and mother from Bangladesh, has also switched to Bangladesh. Choudhury is currently on loan to Sheffield United. Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuyan was born in Denmark to Bangladeshi parents. Shome says while Bangladesh football officials had been pursuing him for some time, he had put them off for a while. Talks turned serious a couple of months ago. With the Canada door seemingly closed, Shome was open to the opportunity. 'Truthfully I think everybody wants to play for the national team. And I got a taste of it luckily at an young age,' he said in an interview. 'There was always a part of me that hoped that maybe I would get an opportunity again. 'But obviously now that I'm getting older in my career and settling down a bit, I thought it was the right time to change things up and kind of pursue a new opportunity — and a different style of international football, one that I have no idea what will be like. Different traditions, different style of play. So I'm really excited for that challenge.' While he has not spoken to Canada Soccer about the change, he said the Canadian federation approved the request from Bangladesh quickly. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Shome was taken by Montreal in the second round (41st overall) of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. Then 19, he had been with FC Edmonton of the NASL before becoming part of the MLS's inaugural Generation Adidas Canada class. Shome, who came up through the FC Edmonton academy, was a nominee for Canadian under-20 player of the year in 2016. Shome said his parents are proud of his decision, as are relatives on his father's side still back in Bangladesh. 'They're really, really excited to see me and to see me play live, because they' haven't really got that chance (before).' Shome has visited Bangladesh several times as a boy with his family, with the most recent visit about three years or four ago. Cavalry (1-2-1) plays at Halifax (3-0-2) in Canadian Premier League play Saturday. —- This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2025
Winnipeg Free Press
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Cavalry FC's Shamit Shome changes international allegiance to Bangladesh from Canada
Cavalry FC midfielder Shamit Shome, who won two caps for Canada in 2020, has switched his international allegiance to Bangladesh. The 27-year-old Shome was born in Edmonton to parents who came from Bangladesh in their 20s. FIFA has approved his application for a one-time change of association from Canada, meaning he could represent No. 183 Bangladesh in the June international window, which includes a 2027 Asia Cup qualifying match against No. 161 Singapore on June 10 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Like other countries, including Canada, Bangladesh has reached out to eligible footballers to build its roster. Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury, a former England under-21 player who was born in England to a father from Grenada and mother from Bangladesh, has also switched to Bangladesh. Choudhury is currently on loan to Sheffield United. Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuyan was born in Denmark to Bangladeshi parents. Shome says while Bangladesh football officials had been pursuing him for some time, he had put them off for a while. Talks turned serious a couple of months ago. With the Canada door seemingly closed, Shome was open to the opportunity. 'Truthfully I think everybody wants to play for the national team. And I got a taste of it luckily at an young age,' he said in an interview. 'There was always a part of me that hoped that maybe I would get an opportunity again. 'But obviously now that I'm getting older in my career and settling down a bit, I thought it was the right time to change things up and kind of pursue a new opportunity — and a different style of international football, one that I have no idea what will be like. Different traditions, different style of play. So I'm really excited for that challenge.' While he has not spoken to Canada Soccer about the change, he said the Canadian federation approved the request from Bangladesh quickly. Shome was taken by Montreal in the second round (41st overall) of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. Then 19, he had been with FC Edmonton of the NASL before becoming part of the MLS's inaugural Generation Adidas Canada class. Shome, who came up through the FC Edmonton academy, was a nominee for Canadian under-20 player of the year in 2016. Shome said his parents are proud of his decision, as are relatives on his father's side still back in Bangladesh. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'They're really, really excited to see me and to see me play live, because they' haven't really got that chance (before).' Shome has visited Bangladesh several times as a boy with his family, with the most recent visit about three years or four ago. Cavalry (1-2-1) plays at Halifax (3-0-2) in Canadian Premier League play Saturday. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2025
Winnipeg Free Press
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Whitecaps need focus in Minnesota MLS match after big CONCACAF Champions Cup win
VANCOUVER – Focus may be an issue for the Vancouver Whitecaps when they go on the road to face Minnesota United FC Sunday afternoon in an important Major League Soccer match. The Whitecaps enjoyed one of the biggest wins in franchise history Thursday evening, defeating Lionel Messi and Inter Miami 2-0 before a record crowd of over 53,000 at BC Place Stadium in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal. The Whitecaps can advance to the June 1 Champions Cup final with a win over Miami on Wednesday night at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. But first, Vancouver (6-1-2) must deal with Minnesota (4-1-4) which sits third in the Western Conference, just four points behind the first place Whitecaps. 'It's a good question,' said Vancouver head coach Jesper Sorensen when asked about his team looking past Minnesota. 'We have a unique possibility to reach a final this club has never reached before. That will be on the back of the players' minds. 'But I think we have over the course of this period been good at focusing on the next game. We'll try to do that again.' Midfielder Ralph Priso said Minnesota has proven its quality by going unbeaten in the last eight games and would like nothing more than to knock off the first-place Whitecaps. 'Minnesota is a good team with good players all around,' Priso said after training Friday. 'They have a lot of speed, they're good in direction combination play. 'We'll have to be ready for runs off the ball, for dynamic plays. We'll just have to be smart when the have the ball not to open ourselves up too much and give them too much space to attack.' Defender Ranko Veselinovic said the Whitecaps can't let the win over Miami cloud their minds heading into Minnesota. 'We need to be focused,' he said. 'Get our minds together. 'They're a really tough team to break. They don't concede a lot. I expect a really tough game.' Even Minnesota isn't sure what to expect from the Whitecaps. 'It's difficult for us to read exactly how they'll look this weekend,' head coach Eric Ramsay said this week. 'This is a really quick turnaround. 'They're above us in the table so we can only pay them the utmost respect.' Minnesota, which is coming off back-to-back 0-0 draws against Toronto and Dallas, won't change its style depending on who the Whitecaps start. 'We're not one of those teams that changes a great deal based upon how the opposition play,' said Ramsay. 'We're pretty good at adapting in the moment and the players are pretty responsive.' Vancouver heads into the weekend leading all MLS teams with 20 points. The Whitecaps have outscored their opponents 7-1 in their last three games and not given up a goal in three of the last four. One of the pleasant surprises for the Whitecaps this season has been the play of defender Tate Johnson. The 19-year-old from Tampa, Fla., was selected 15th overall in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft after spending a season at the University of North Carolina. He has stepped in to start five games this year for Vancouver and scored a goal in his debut against CF Montreal. Johnson was asked about his composure after looking calm and collected defending Messi in the win over Miami. 'Having such a great group of guys and leaders around really helps me do my job,' he said. 'I'm just trying to control what I can control, working hard every day. When my name is called, I look to put in good performances to help the team win.' Sorensen has been impressed by Johnson. 'It's a great story,' said the coach. 'He has proven ready for every task we give him. He's never a guy who lets us down.' VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (6-1-2) at MINNESOTA UNITED FC (4-1-4) Allianz Field SICK BAY: Whitecaps captain Ryan Guald (knee) will miss the match. During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. HOME AND AWAY: Vancouver (2-0-2) has not lost on the road this year and Minnesota (2-0-2) is unbeaten at home. FILLING THE NET: Heading into the weekend Vancouver's 17 goals was second in MLS behind the 19 scored by San Jose. TIGHT DEFENCE: The Whitecaps, Miami and St. Louis began the weekend tied for allowing a MSL-low six goals this season. NEXT UP: The Whitecaps next MLS game is next Saturday against Real Salt Lake at BC Place Stadium This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25, 2025.
