Breakfast Links - July 14, 2023
(image via Houston Dynamo FC)
We’ve made it to Friday, the weekend is near. Let’s get into some links to get your Friday started off right.
Houston
The Dynamo will look to rebound from Wednesday’s embarassing showing. Ben Olsen’s squad is on the road tomorrow night to take on the Colorado Rapids. Colorado sits at the bottom of the Western Conference with just three wins this season. A win would be big before the league takes a month-long break for the Leagues Cup. The Dynamo also made a roster move yesterday, excersing the buy option on forward Nelson Quiñónes.
The Dash are off this weekend, and judging by the player’s social media posts, they’re enjoying their time off. Houston will return to play next Saturday in Kansas City for Challenge Cup. Five Dash players will get their World Cup journeys started next week as the tournament gets underway in Australia and New Zealand.
Dynamo 2 will try and end their four match losing streak as they host North Texas SC Sunday night. Kenny Bundy’s squad has struggled to find form and will need to get things turned around if they want any shot at making the playoffs again.
Major League Soccer
Toronto FC completed a trade with the New England Revolution, sending Mark-Anthony Kaye to the Revs in exchange for Latif Blessing. Kaye gives New England another veteran piece to their midfield as they continue battling for top spot in the Eastern Conference. Toronto will hope Blessing is just that, as they sit on just 19 points from 23 games this season.
Charlotte FC signed Belgian midfielder Brecht Dejaegere. The 32-year-old has experience around Europe, most recently captaining Toulouse FC in the Coupe de France winning season this past campaign.
25 different MLS teams received nearly $7.2 million in combined payments from the FIFA Club Benefits Program for partictipation in the 2022 World Cup. Clubs received $10,950 per player, per day, regardless of how many minutes they played. The Dynamo received $65,702.
Around the World
USMNT captain Christian Pulisic has completed his move to Italian club AC Milan. Pulisic said on Wednesday that he wished he had been given more of a chance at Chelsea but added that his move to Milan can help him reach another level as a player.
English midfielder Dele Alli revealed that he recently spent six weeks in a rehab facility in the United States for addition, mental health, and trauma treatment. Alli revealed in an interview with Gary Neville that he became addicted to sleep medication to deal with traumas from his childhood.
Treble winner Erling Haaland will feature on the cover of EA Sports FC 24. The game, which will be released this fall, is the first since the game ended its three decade partnership with FIFA.
