BREAKING: Sources confirm to @espn.com that San Diego Wave are frontrunners to sign #USWNT star Catarina Macario. Nothing's signed but talks have advanced. Macario lived in SD as a kid after moving from Brazil. A desire to be closer to home + experience #NWSL are believed to be significant factors.

Couldn't help but notice during the SJ/Portland preseason game yesterday the halftime introduction for #Quakes74 of "trialist" Jonathan Gonzalez. Yes, *that* Jonathan Gonzalez, the former Monterrey midfielder who at one time was viewed as the dual national who got away from the #usmnt.

Excited to keep reading your work, Matt!

Leagues Cup officials are finalizing the details to have Mexico host certain matches of the upcoming edition of the tournament, sources told ESPN. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Quickly made official by all involved. “Bay FC is a club with real ambition, and that is a big part of why this move feels right for me,” Claire Hutton says.

Here's the story on Atlanta United prevailing in its battle with Botofogo on the Thiago Almada transfer. #ATLUTD www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Atlanta United has reached a settlement w/Botofogo on the transfer of Thiago Almada. Though it sounds less like a settlement and more like total victory. #ATLUTD. Atlanta's statement says, "Botafogo will pay the full transfer fee, plus interest, under the terms of this settlement."

Minnesota United’s signing of James Rodriguez is the ultimate marriage of convenience. With little risk, it just might work. Plenty of questions still remain, however. #MNUFC www.espn.com/soccer/story...

#VWFC have accepted the Gov’t offer from earlier this week. They are working on the final details. Axel Schuster “We understand this is the best they can give. We are far away from blaming them. We want to thank them.”

Heavy news for #Quakes74 this morning, as the club announces the passing of head sporting strategist Vassili Cremanzidis. He was just 36. “There are no words to adequately express the depth of our grief,” the Quakes said in a statement.

Not the worst injury, but not great for Cardoso either, especially when he was just starting to generate some momentum. #usmnt www.espn.com/soccer/story...

I hope all who have enjoyed the amazing work of @3rddegree.net in the last 30 years, will find their way to this event and wish well, "my Hero, your Hero, everybody's Hero." 🥲

Crestfallen and f$&@ furious about the closure as we know it of @postsports.bsky.social by an indifferent, compromised owner and a failing publisher — a dept of Povich and Boswell, Wilbon and Kornheiser, Gildea and Sheinin, of poets, authors, Hall of Famers and Pulitzer finalists. A terrible day.

👀 #VWFC @manuelveth.bsky.social @harjournalist.bsky.social www.nsnews.com/national-spo...

W/ESPN colleague @lizzybecherano.bsky.social ...Obed Vargas achieved a lifelong dream when he transferred to Atletico Madrid. But the man who set the deal in motion was none other than #Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer. W/additional insight from Sounders GM Craig Waibel. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Grim news from Vancouver Whitecaps CEO and sporting director Axel Schuster regarding sale of the team. Team has been for sale for 14 months. There were 100 outreaches. Almost 40 took a deeper look. Schuster said not a single one "is interested in buying even 1% of this club." Brutal.

World Cup prep for the USMNT's MLS players doesn't just begin in the preseason. Whether it be through specialized training or at parks back home with friends, there was extra offseason work. Will it secure call-ups? Can it help lift the USMNT this summer? www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Timo Werner officially signs with #Quakes74. Given the departures of Josef Martinez, Cristian Espinoza and (likely) Chicho Arango, Werner's arrival is big for San Jose. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Atlanta United announces that Brad Guzan is joining the team as a club ambassador and sporting advisor. Guzan said that he earned a masters degree from the Global Institute of Sport & completed a "Director of Football program." He'll report to Chris Henderson and help on club broadcasts too. #ATLUTD

Benfica madness!

I chose...poorly.

Source tells ESPN that Orlando City is finalizing the transfer U.S. int'l defender Alex Freeman to La Liga side Villarreal C.F. for a fee of $4 million with the fee increasing by $2.5 million if certain incentives are met. Orlando will get a 15% cut of any future transfer. #usmnt #VamosOrlando

Patrick Agyemang benefits from a keeper error to score inside the six-yard box to give Derby County a 1-0 lead over West Bromwich Albion. That's Agyemang's eighth league goal of the season. At minimum he's giving U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino something to think about. #usmnt

OFFICIAL: #USWNT forward Trinity Rodman has signed a new, 3-year contract with the Washington Spirit. Per Mike Senkowski, Rodman’s agent, her new multi-million dollar contract will make her the highest-paid female soccer player in the world. www.espn.com/soccer/story... #NWSL

🚨 McKennie goal for Juve! 🚨 Some slick combo play with Jonathan David and then a composed finish from Weston puts Juve up 2-0 against Benfica. Nicely done. #usmnt

Just a wild series of events. Glad Heath is okay, but what an ordeal - and well told by Paul.

Version 4.0 of the #usmnt Big Board is out. The World Cup roster is coming into focus, but there's still time for some movement. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Stunning news. Thought this guy would live forever.

Dual-nationals Richard Ledezma and Brian Gutierrez highlight the latest call-up for Mexico. Details on the roster and also some updates on the status of the one-time switches for Ledezma and Gutierrez: www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Tristan Blackmon has completed his physical & will join Vancouver for their preseason trip to Spain. When asked if Blackmon missed his physical on Wednesday, sporting director Axel Schuster told ESPN he didn't know the particulars of the schedule for players. #VWFC www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Vancouver sporting director Axel Schuster says Tristan Blackmon had his medical this morning. Source with knowledge of Blackmon's thinking said the medical was originally schedule for yesterday. Talks on a new contract ongoing. #VWFC

Vancouver Whitecaps defender Tristan Blackmon - the reigning MLS Defender of the Year - was a no-show on the first day of training camp for Vancouver. @tombogert.bsky.social first. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

The U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year for 2025 is...Chris Richards. Much deserved IMO. #usmnt www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Multiple sources tell ESPN that the MLSPA hasn't yet approved MLS's proposed switch to a summer/spring calendar. Talks between the MLSPA and #MLS are "ongoing" I'm told.

#NWSL NEWS: #USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps has joined expansion side Denver Summit FC, returning home to Colorado beginning this summer. On @espn.com: Heaps on why, keeping it secret from her parents + learning from her husband's expansion season. The move comes as NWSL tries to retain top players.

U.S. forward Ricardo Pepi sustained a broken left forearm while playing for PSV on Saturday. He will undergo surgery on Sunday and miss approximately two months. Brutal turn of events for the player. #usmnt www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Good news: Ricardo Pepi scores in his fifth consecutive game. Terrible news: It looks like he sustained a serious left arm injury in the process. He had to be immediately subbed off. Will pass on more info as I get it. #usmnt

San Diego FC working on exit of Mexico star 'Chucky' Lozano www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Inbox: Instead of using a remote coastal village like they did in 2014, Germany will utilize Wake Forest University and the nearby Graylyn Estate for its training base at the 2026 World Cup.

Manchester City is finalizing a transfer with the #NWSL's Portland Thorns for #USWNT midfielder Sam Coffey. Sources say the fee will be at least $800K, possibly higher when final. Coffey is flying to England, terms agreed, wants to experience Europe. @tomjgarry.bsky.social w/1st report of talks

The slate of #SheBelievesCup games is out. The #uswnt will face Argentina, Canada and Colombia in early March. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

The CBA for players in the #USL-C has expired, but talks are set to resume Thursday. While there is some agreement on 12-month contracts & clubs offering health insurance to players, there's still some distance to be navigated on salary increases and player licensing. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

USLPA announces final bargaining session of the year with the USL and still no agreement on a new CBA for players in the USL Championship. Hopefully the new year brings more signs of progress. Will probably go down to the wire tho. www.instagram.com/p/DS6GnifEQN...

The U.S. Soccer Federation is expecting numerous benefits from hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Among these is a $100 million payout from FIFA. A look at how that amount compares to the 1994 World Cup, & what the USSF plans to do with that cash infusion. #usmnt #ussf www.espn.com/soccer/story...

We're back! ESPN's expert voting panel of coaches, GMs and journalists ranked the top women's soccer players of 2025: www.espn.com/soccer/story... Try to guess which #USWNT players made the list. Good luck!

well PHEW

Richards stretchered off in Carabao Cup match. Not a good week for the #usmnt. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Wouldn't have predicted this one in a million years. Yet here we are.

Full story on the #NWSL announcing the new High Impact Player rule we've been reporting... and the NWSLPA reaffirming its opposition to it, from @jeffreycarlisle.bsky.social: www.espn.com/soccer/story...

I think the next logical step for the NWSLPA is that they file a grievance over the implementation of this rule. This would obviously be separate from the grievance they already filed over Trinity Rodman's proposed contract with the Spirit being rejected by the #NWSL.