Tom Bogert of The Athletic reports that despite positive talks between the two sides, a deal is not imminent. Giroud will take some time to consider his other options, which include staying in Europe or heading to Saudi Arabia.

If Giroud chooses to join LAFC, he would be reunited with his compatriot Hugo Lloris. Giroud and Lloris were part of France’s national team that won the World Cup in 2018 and reached the World Cup 2022 finals.

Despite turning 37 in September, Giroud has been playing at a high level this season. He has 14 goals and nine assists in 36 matches in all competitions while helping Milan to second place in Seria A standings at the moment and to make a Europa League quarterfinals appearance.

Olivier Giroud started his professional career in his native France, where he suited up for Grenoble, Tours, and Montpellier, among other teams. He made a switch to Premier League side Arsenal in 2012 and became one of the club’s key players, scoring 105 goals in 253 matches in six seasons. Giroud then went on to play for Chelsea before joining Milan ahead of the 2021–22 campaign.

The post LAFC “In Advanced Talks” With AC Milan’s Olivier Giroud appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Messi helped Inter Miami to a 3-1 win over Nashville SC in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16, scoring a goal and providing an assist. However, he did all of that in the first half and was forced to leave the pitch just five minutes into the second period.

Speaking with reporters, Martino explained that Messi has “muscle overload” in his right leg and that the team is taking a cautious approach. 

“I don’t want to take any risks, but I imagine that he won’t be available for Saturday’s game,” Martino said via ESPN. “That’s the only thing I can say about it now. We’ll have some tests soon, and we’ll see how he feels.”

Messi’s “muscle overload” appears to be an issue that has been around for some time. He was noticed getting treatment in the first leg of the Nashville SC matchup last week while also missing the MLS game against CF Montreal this past weekend.

Messi has five goals and two assists in five games in all competitions this season. Miami is through to the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals while also sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference.

The post Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi Dealing With a Leg Injury, Will Miss D.C. United Game appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Ramsay joins Minnesota after spending more than three years with Man Utd, where he served in various roles including player development coach and first-team assistant coach under manager Erik ten Hag.

Minnesota United parted ways with head coach Adrian Heath after the team missed the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs, ending their four-year postseason streak. Since then, Minnesota had two interim head coaches in Sean McAuley and Cameron Knowles while looking for the best replacement for Heath.

Eric Ramsay started his coaching career with Swansea City and Shrewsbury Town before being hired by Premier League powerhouse Chelsea in 2019 to serve as their U23 coach. Ramsay left Chelsea in 2021 to work under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with Manchester United and remained with the club under Solskjaer’s successors Ralf Rangnick and Erik ten Hag. He also had a brief spell with Wales national football team as an assistant.

Ramsay will now become the youngest head coach in MLS history at the age of 32.

“I’m incredibly excited to be joining a club with such a strong football culture, a fanatic fan-base and a brilliant infrastructure,” Ramsay said in a statement released by the team. “I’ve spoken to a lot of the club’s staff throughout the process and you can’t help but feel everyone’s passion for moving the club forward.”

The post Minnesota United Hires Man Utd’s Assistant Eric Ramsay as Their New Head Coach appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to Suarez, Real wanted to sign him after the 2013-14 season, in which he scored 31 goals and dished 17 assists for Liverpool.

“My representative spoke to Real Madrid before the 2014 World Cup,” Suarez said via ESPN. “Real Madrid wanted to sign me and everything was going in the right direction … they were thinking about selling (Karim) Benzema to Arsenal, everything was already in place.”

However, Real started being cautious about the pursuit of Suarez after the infamous biting incident involving Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 World Cup. At that point Barcelona entered the race as well and ended up convincing Suarez to make a switch to Camo Nou.

“In the end, I had both options, and I chose Barca because it was my dream,” Suarez added.

Suarez joined Barcelona after the 2014 World Cup and became one of the best strikers in the world. During his time with the club, he scored 195 goals and added 113 assists in all competitions. He also won 13 trophies, including four La Liga titles and one UEFA Champions League.

The post Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez Reveals He Almost Signed With Real Madrid in 2014 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to The Athletic’s Tom Bogert, Cowell will travel to Mexico in the following days to undergo his medical.

Chivas is known for its club policy that states only Mexican players can be on its roster. However, despite representing the U.S. and being born in California, Cowell owns a Mexican passport through his mother and is thus eligible to play for the club.

There was reportedly quite a lot of interest for Cowell in recent weeks from teams outside the United States. Greek club AEK Athens, coached by former San Jose head coach Matias Almeyda, was rumored to be keen on the 20-year-old player, but Chivas beat them to the punch.

Cowell played 23 games for Quakes last season, including 20 as a starter. He finished the season with one goal and three assists.

Cowell has been a member of the USMNT since 2021, making his debut in a 1-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since then, he played seven more games and has one international goal on his resume.

The post USMNT Winger Cade Cowell Secures a Transfer to Liga MX’s Chivas appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Lloris has a contract with Tottenham that runs until the end of the 2023-24 season. However, the London club will allow their longtime player and former captain to leave early so he could take part in the LAFC’s preseason.

Hugo Lloris joined Tottenham from Lyon in 2012 and has since made 447 appearances for the club. However, upon the arrival of new head coach Ange Postecoglou,  Lloris lost his place on the goal and was demoted to the No. 3 option behind Guglielmo Vicario and Fraser Forster. He hasn’t played in a single game in the 2023-24 campaign.

Lloris attempted to secure a move elsewhere this past summer but failed to find a fitting option, causing him to stay with Spurs. Now, the LAFC came calling, needing a starting goalkeeper after Maxime Crepeau left the club following the 2023 season as a free agent.

Lloris hasn’t won a single trophy during his time with Tottenham, but he had much more success with France’s national team. He was part of the squad that won the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and UEFA Nations League in 2020–21. The 37-year-old, who became the country’s most-capped player in history with 145 games under his belt, retired from the international stage after the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The post LAFC Nearing a Deal for Tottenham’s Goalie Hugo Lloris appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

In Miami, Suarez will be welcomed by former Barca teammates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba.

Suarez has been linked with a move to Inter Miami since the summer. However, his then-club Gremio didn’t want to sanction the 36-year-old’s departure at the time and only agreed to release him from his contract once the 2023 season in Brazil’s Série A wrapped up in early December.

Despite entering the twilight years of his career, Suarez has been in great form with Gremio. He scored 29 goals in 54 games played in all competitions this year and helped the club finish runners-up while winning the Best Player award.

Inter Miami didn’t disclose what type of contract Suarez signed. The club has all of their Designated Player spots filled with Messi, Busquets, and Gregore but could possibly strike a deal with the latter to free up the DP slot for Suarez.

“I will give my all to bring joy to these great fans I’ve heard so much about while I wear Inter Miami colors, and look forward to reuniting with great friends and players. I’m also eager to meet my new teammates and coaches, “said Suarez in a statement released by Inter Miami. 

The post Inter Miami Confirms the Signing of Ex-Barca Star Striker Luis Suarez appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“After thoughtful consideration, we have informed MLS that the U.S. Soccer staff recommendation, which was adopted by the Pro League Taskforce, is that the request be denied,” said the statement.

MLS announced a plan to withdraw teams from the U.S. Open Cup, the oldest continuous soccer competition in the United States, last week. According to the league’s announcement, teams from MLS Next Pro, which is essentially a developmental league for MLS, would take their place. 

The move was explained by fixture congestion due to the increased number of games in the league and the emergence of other competitions like the Leagues Cup. Reportedly, MLS also isn’t too happy with the fact that the U.S. Open Cup attracts fewer fans and that they are not in charge of important elements of the competition.

It remains to be seen how MLS will react after USSF denied their original request. Sources told The Athletic that the league will field their first teams in the U.S. Open Cup at least for the 2024 edition.

The U.S. Open Cup was founded in 1914. It features professional clubs from all tiers of the U.S. soccer pyramid competing in a knockout format. The defending champions are Houston Dynamo, who beat Inter Miami 1-2 in the 2023 Finals.

The post U.S. Soccer Denies MLS Request to Field Next Pro Teams in U.S. Open Cup appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Columbus hasn’t been the most dominant team in the MLS Cup playoffs, needing extra time in both Conference semifinals and Conference finals to get through. However, they always were at their best when it mattered the most, something that was on full display against LAFC.

The first half saw a great performance by Crew, as they opened the scoring in the 33rd minute after Cucho Hernández converted a penalty before doubling their lead just four minutes later through Yaw Yeboah. In the second half, Columbus opted to sit back, absorb LAFC’s attacks and preserve their lead.

The LA team managed to cut the lead to one in the 74th minute thanks to Dénis Bouanga’s goal, but that turned out to be all they could do. Columbus did just enough to prevent a second goal by LAFC and deservingly ended up as the last team standing in the MLS Cup.

With its third MLS Cup win, Columbus Crew is now in the top three of the most decorated MLS clubs. Only the Los Angeles Galaxy with five and D.C. United with four has more trophies.

The post Columbus Crew Beats LAFC, Wins Its Third MLS Cup appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Birmingham confirmed Rooney’s hiring on Wednesday, revealing that former England international inked a three-and-a-half-year deal. The club, which lists NFL legend Tom Brady as one of its minority owners, is currently sixth in the Championship.

“I have been building my managerial career, putting myself in challenging environments, to get me ready for this opportunity,” Rooney said in a statement released by the club. “It’s a project that gives me a sense of purpose, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Rooney is bringing in several of his former teammates with him to Birmingham. His coaching staff will include ex-Manchester United defender John O’Shea and former Arsenal and Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole, with whom he played together with England’s national team.

After finishing his illustrious playing career, Rooney started his managerial career with Championship club Derby County midway through the 2020–21 season. He helped the club avoid relegation by the end of the campaign but decided to step down after failing to repeat the feat in 2021-22, in which Derby got relegated to League One.

Rooney’s next stop was MLS, where he took over D.C. United. He spent less than two seasons with the club, compiling a 14-14-25 record. The 37-year-old Rooney left the club after failing to make the playoffs in 2023.

The post Wayne Rooney Hired as Birmingham Manager After D.C. United Exit appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Tom Bogert of The Athletic reports that despite positive talks between the two sides, a deal is not imminent. Giroud will take some time to consider his other options, which include staying in Europe or heading to Saudi Arabia.

If Giroud chooses to join LAFC, he would be reunited with his compatriot Hugo Lloris. Giroud and Lloris were part of France’s national team that won the World Cup in 2018 and reached the World Cup 2022 finals.

Despite turning 37 in September, Giroud has been playing at a high level this season. He has 14 goals and nine assists in 36 matches in all competitions while helping Milan to second place in Seria A standings at the moment and to make a Europa League quarterfinals appearance.

Olivier Giroud started his professional career in his native France, where he suited up for Grenoble, Tours, and Montpellier, among other teams. He made a switch to Premier League side Arsenal in 2012 and became one of the club’s key players, scoring 105 goals in 253 matches in six seasons. Giroud then went on to play for Chelsea before joining Milan ahead of the 2021–22 campaign.

The post LAFC “In Advanced Talks” With AC Milan’s Olivier Giroud appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Messi helped Inter Miami to a 3-1 win over Nashville SC in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16, scoring a goal and providing an assist. However, he did all of that in the first half and was forced to leave the pitch just five minutes into the second period.

Speaking with reporters, Martino explained that Messi has “muscle overload” in his right leg and that the team is taking a cautious approach. 

“I don’t want to take any risks, but I imagine that he won’t be available for Saturday’s game,” Martino said via ESPN. “That’s the only thing I can say about it now. We’ll have some tests soon, and we’ll see how he feels.”

Messi’s “muscle overload” appears to be an issue that has been around for some time. He was noticed getting treatment in the first leg of the Nashville SC matchup last week while also missing the MLS game against CF Montreal this past weekend.

Messi has five goals and two assists in five games in all competitions this season. Miami is through to the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals while also sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference.

The post Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi Dealing With a Leg Injury, Will Miss D.C. United Game appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Ramsay joins Minnesota after spending more than three years with Man Utd, where he served in various roles including player development coach and first-team assistant coach under manager Erik ten Hag.

Minnesota United parted ways with head coach Adrian Heath after the team missed the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs, ending their four-year postseason streak. Since then, Minnesota had two interim head coaches in Sean McAuley and Cameron Knowles while looking for the best replacement for Heath.

Eric Ramsay started his coaching career with Swansea City and Shrewsbury Town before being hired by Premier League powerhouse Chelsea in 2019 to serve as their U23 coach. Ramsay left Chelsea in 2021 to work under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with Manchester United and remained with the club under Solskjaer’s successors Ralf Rangnick and Erik ten Hag. He also had a brief spell with Wales national football team as an assistant.

Ramsay will now become the youngest head coach in MLS history at the age of 32.

“I’m incredibly excited to be joining a club with such a strong football culture, a fanatic fan-base and a brilliant infrastructure,” Ramsay said in a statement released by the team. “I’ve spoken to a lot of the club’s staff throughout the process and you can’t help but feel everyone’s passion for moving the club forward.”

The post Minnesota United Hires Man Utd’s Assistant Eric Ramsay as Their New Head Coach appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to Suarez, Real wanted to sign him after the 2013-14 season, in which he scored 31 goals and dished 17 assists for Liverpool.

“My representative spoke to Real Madrid before the 2014 World Cup,” Suarez said via ESPN. “Real Madrid wanted to sign me and everything was going in the right direction … they were thinking about selling (Karim) Benzema to Arsenal, everything was already in place.”

However, Real started being cautious about the pursuit of Suarez after the infamous biting incident involving Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 World Cup. At that point Barcelona entered the race as well and ended up convincing Suarez to make a switch to Camo Nou.

“In the end, I had both options, and I chose Barca because it was my dream,” Suarez added.

Suarez joined Barcelona after the 2014 World Cup and became one of the best strikers in the world. During his time with the club, he scored 195 goals and added 113 assists in all competitions. He also won 13 trophies, including four La Liga titles and one UEFA Champions League.

The post Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez Reveals He Almost Signed With Real Madrid in 2014 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to The Athletic’s Tom Bogert, Cowell will travel to Mexico in the following days to undergo his medical.

Chivas is known for its club policy that states only Mexican players can be on its roster. However, despite representing the U.S. and being born in California, Cowell owns a Mexican passport through his mother and is thus eligible to play for the club.

There was reportedly quite a lot of interest for Cowell in recent weeks from teams outside the United States. Greek club AEK Athens, coached by former San Jose head coach Matias Almeyda, was rumored to be keen on the 20-year-old player, but Chivas beat them to the punch.

Cowell played 23 games for Quakes last season, including 20 as a starter. He finished the season with one goal and three assists.

Cowell has been a member of the USMNT since 2021, making his debut in a 1-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since then, he played seven more games and has one international goal on his resume.

The post USMNT Winger Cade Cowell Secures a Transfer to Liga MX’s Chivas appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Lloris has a contract with Tottenham that runs until the end of the 2023-24 season. However, the London club will allow their longtime player and former captain to leave early so he could take part in the LAFC’s preseason.

Hugo Lloris joined Tottenham from Lyon in 2012 and has since made 447 appearances for the club. However, upon the arrival of new head coach Ange Postecoglou,  Lloris lost his place on the goal and was demoted to the No. 3 option behind Guglielmo Vicario and Fraser Forster. He hasn’t played in a single game in the 2023-24 campaign.

Lloris attempted to secure a move elsewhere this past summer but failed to find a fitting option, causing him to stay with Spurs. Now, the LAFC came calling, needing a starting goalkeeper after Maxime Crepeau left the club following the 2023 season as a free agent.

Lloris hasn’t won a single trophy during his time with Tottenham, but he had much more success with France’s national team. He was part of the squad that won the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and UEFA Nations League in 2020–21. The 37-year-old, who became the country’s most-capped player in history with 145 games under his belt, retired from the international stage after the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The post LAFC Nearing a Deal for Tottenham’s Goalie Hugo Lloris appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

In Miami, Suarez will be welcomed by former Barca teammates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba.

Suarez has been linked with a move to Inter Miami since the summer. However, his then-club Gremio didn’t want to sanction the 36-year-old’s departure at the time and only agreed to release him from his contract once the 2023 season in Brazil’s Série A wrapped up in early December.

Despite entering the twilight years of his career, Suarez has been in great form with Gremio. He scored 29 goals in 54 games played in all competitions this year and helped the club finish runners-up while winning the Best Player award.

Inter Miami didn’t disclose what type of contract Suarez signed. The club has all of their Designated Player spots filled with Messi, Busquets, and Gregore but could possibly strike a deal with the latter to free up the DP slot for Suarez.

“I will give my all to bring joy to these great fans I’ve heard so much about while I wear Inter Miami colors, and look forward to reuniting with great friends and players. I’m also eager to meet my new teammates and coaches, “said Suarez in a statement released by Inter Miami. 

The post Inter Miami Confirms the Signing of Ex-Barca Star Striker Luis Suarez appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“After thoughtful consideration, we have informed MLS that the U.S. Soccer staff recommendation, which was adopted by the Pro League Taskforce, is that the request be denied,” said the statement.

MLS announced a plan to withdraw teams from the U.S. Open Cup, the oldest continuous soccer competition in the United States, last week. According to the league’s announcement, teams from MLS Next Pro, which is essentially a developmental league for MLS, would take their place. 

The move was explained by fixture congestion due to the increased number of games in the league and the emergence of other competitions like the Leagues Cup. Reportedly, MLS also isn’t too happy with the fact that the U.S. Open Cup attracts fewer fans and that they are not in charge of important elements of the competition.

It remains to be seen how MLS will react after USSF denied their original request. Sources told The Athletic that the league will field their first teams in the U.S. Open Cup at least for the 2024 edition.

The U.S. Open Cup was founded in 1914. It features professional clubs from all tiers of the U.S. soccer pyramid competing in a knockout format. The defending champions are Houston Dynamo, who beat Inter Miami 1-2 in the 2023 Finals.

The post U.S. Soccer Denies MLS Request to Field Next Pro Teams in U.S. Open Cup appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Columbus hasn’t been the most dominant team in the MLS Cup playoffs, needing extra time in both Conference semifinals and Conference finals to get through. However, they always were at their best when it mattered the most, something that was on full display against LAFC.

The first half saw a great performance by Crew, as they opened the scoring in the 33rd minute after Cucho Hernández converted a penalty before doubling their lead just four minutes later through Yaw Yeboah. In the second half, Columbus opted to sit back, absorb LAFC’s attacks and preserve their lead.

The LA team managed to cut the lead to one in the 74th minute thanks to Dénis Bouanga’s goal, but that turned out to be all they could do. Columbus did just enough to prevent a second goal by LAFC and deservingly ended up as the last team standing in the MLS Cup.

With its third MLS Cup win, Columbus Crew is now in the top three of the most decorated MLS clubs. Only the Los Angeles Galaxy with five and D.C. United with four has more trophies.

The post Columbus Crew Beats LAFC, Wins Its Third MLS Cup appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Birmingham confirmed Rooney’s hiring on Wednesday, revealing that former England international inked a three-and-a-half-year deal. The club, which lists NFL legend Tom Brady as one of its minority owners, is currently sixth in the Championship.

“I have been building my managerial career, putting myself in challenging environments, to get me ready for this opportunity,” Rooney said in a statement released by the club. “It’s a project that gives me a sense of purpose, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Rooney is bringing in several of his former teammates with him to Birmingham. His coaching staff will include ex-Manchester United defender John O’Shea and former Arsenal and Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole, with whom he played together with England’s national team.

After finishing his illustrious playing career, Rooney started his managerial career with Championship club Derby County midway through the 2020–21 season. He helped the club avoid relegation by the end of the campaign but decided to step down after failing to repeat the feat in 2021-22, in which Derby got relegated to League One.

Rooney’s next stop was MLS, where he took over D.C. United. He spent less than two seasons with the club, compiling a 14-14-25 record. The 37-year-old Rooney left the club after failing to make the playoffs in 2023.

The post Wayne Rooney Hired as Birmingham Manager After D.C. United Exit appeared first on yoursportspot.com.