Michael Bradley Signing Is Another Step Forward for MLS

On Monday, one week after the rumors started flying on Twitter, Toronto FC and Major League Soccer officially unveiled their newest signing: Michael Bradley. Bradley’s signing is a massive coup for MLS—though, there are certainly many angles to the signing, including Bradley’s own personal reasons for wanting to move to Toronto and the move’s implications for the United States men’s national team.   Bringing in Quality Bradley, at 26 years of age, is in the prime of his career. Nicknamed "Il Generale" in Italy, Bradley has become one of the world’s best midfielders. Last season, he started 29 games for AS Roma, one of the top clubs in the world. And, for the USMNT, ranked 14th in the world by FIFA, Bradley is widely considered the team’s most important player. Having the power to bring Bradley back to Major League Soccer, only five months after luring back Clint Dempsey (just one year out from his best season in England), says a lot. While there are still plenty of fans and pundits throughout the world who view MLS as a league for players who are past their prime (or even worse, those who never had a prime), it is becoming increasingly clear that the league has its sights set on continuing to ...

What Michael Bradley’s Move to Toronto FC Will Mean for USMNT at World Cup

Michael Bradley's sudden transfer from AS Roma in Serie A to Toronto FC of Major League Soccer surprised everyone in the American footballing landscape.  Bradley's move is one that mirrors Clint Dempsey's transfer to Seattle from Tottenham Hotspur during the summer, as the MLS team receiving the United States men's national team star splashed a pretty large sum of cash for the player. Now that the reality of Bradley donning the red and white of TFC is upon us, it is time to look at what the move means for the United States when the 2014 FIFA World Cup kicks off in June. The instant reaction to the Bradley transfer is that the 26-year-old is moving to one of the bottom feeders of the league, which is a correct statement if you only look at the 2013 Eastern Conference standings.  The Reds lacked talent at close to every position in manager Ryan Nelsen's first season and they had to rebuild with new talent. Rebuild is exactly what Toronto did, as they acquired the services of MLS veteran Dwayne De Rosario, who on his best day is one of the best playmakers in the entire league.  Although he is 35, De Rosario will have an immediate impact ...

2014 MLS Mock Draft: Complete First-Round Predictions for Every Team

On the list of relevant drafts in United States' sports, the MLS draft is pretty far down the ranks. Often, the league's top players are signed from different professional leagues, while many of the top stars are already playing for clubs in Europe. Still, every now and again an excellent player comes through the ranks, and the draft is a great way for teams to build quality depth or round out their rosters. Let's take a look at how this year's draft will shake out.   1. D.C. United: Steve Birnbaum, CB, California It's pretty widely believed that the first pick for D.C. United will come down to Birnbaum or his teammate Christian Dean. Ives Galarcep of Soccer by Ives breaks down why he believes D.C. will go with Birnbaum. Birnbaum is the better player right now and D.C. United is said not to rate Dean as highly as other teams do. D.C. United could choose to trade down and gather assets rather than be the first team in a decade to not use the No. 1 overall pick on a Generation adidas player. If a team trades up, the chances are very high that it would be to grab Dean. D.C. United could also choose to go with a forward at ...

Michael Bradley Signs with Toronto FC

Major League Soccer has landed yet another American superstar.  A little more than five months after the Seattle Sounders agreed to terms with Clint Dempsey, who is now back with EPL side Fulham on a two-month loan, Toronto FC has agreed to terms with Roma's Michael Bradley, according to ESPN's Doug McIntyre: Joe Prince-Wright confirmed the news on Thursday, and his former squad AS Roma wished him farewell:   The Fox Soccer Twitter account provides the financial details of the deal: Bradley, who is in the prime of his career at 26 years of age, has fallen out of favor with his Serie A side this season, appearing in just 11 matches (five starts) and scoring one goal.     He is currently in his second season with Roma after spending a year with Italian side Chievo and several more with Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga. He also made a few appearances with EPL club Aston Villa on a loan during the 2010-11 campaign.  Bradley isn't a true goal-scoring threat, although he has a tendency to send in some world-class efforts from time to time. Exhibit A: But while he doesn't find the back of the net as much as fellow American midfielders Dempsey or Landon Donovan, an argument can be ...

It’s a Bloody Big Deal! Toronto Drop Video Hint About Jermain Defoe Deal

Toronto FC have got a big announcement in the pipeline, and apparently they want the whole world to know it. On Wednesday, the MLS club released a video promo touting a club announcement on January 14, proclaiming it "a bloody big deal." Couple the unmistakably British phrase with the video's content—a typical "geezer" in what appears to be a London cafe (no accent), spitting out his mug of tea in surprise—and it is difficult to escape the conclusion that this video is touting the signing of Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe, who has long been linked with the Canadian club. Considering that the deal has been discussed in papers and media outlets on both sides of the Atlantic for a number of months now, whether anyone will be as surprised as the bloke in the video when the announcement is finally made official remains to be seen. Can confirm Jermain Defoe is expected to arrive in Canada this weekend to complete his transfer to @torontofc from Tottenham #MLS — Luke Wileman (@LukeWileman) January 8, 2014 Defoe is believed to be heading to Toronto this weekend, ahead of the "mystery" announcement on Monday.Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

8 MLS Players Who Could Be on the Move in 2014

Whether it's a move abroad, or a move within Major League Soccer, the 2014 MLS season will no doubt have its fair share of transfers. Some will be seeking better opportunities or pay in Europe, some will be trying to return home and some will involuntarily be forced to switch teams. Here are eight MLS players primed for a move in 2014.Begin Slideshow

10 Players Who Could Take MLS Forward in 2014

Major League Soccer continues to grow year after year, but it still struggles to both develop and then keep promising young talent. Still, 2013 was a great year for the league's youngsters, producing a great crop who can take the league forward heading in the 2014 season. Trying to identify such players can be difficult because at such a young age, their consistency can vary wildly.  To become the type of players who can build the league's reputation, they must have that rare combination of talent and flair. They are also far more likely to be attacking players because, after all, the average fan has a much greater appreciation for attacking play than for great defense. Here are 10 young guns who aren't on most fans' radars, but could be the next big thing in MLS.Begin Slideshow

Examining What a David Beckham-Owned Franchise Would Bring to MLS

When David Beckham first came to Major League Soccer in 2007, one of the lesser known clauses of his reported $250 million mega-contract was a provision to buy a future MLS franchise for $25 million. Expansion in MLS has been a hot topic in recent months and in 2013, the league added two new franchises, New York FC and Orlando City SC. Both teams are set to enter the league in the 2015 season and will bring the size of the league to 21 teams (MLS Commissioner Don Garber has stated the goal of the league is 24 teams by 2020). By contrast, Beckham’s $25 million franchise buy-in clause will be a major bargain as New York’s investors were forced to cough up a $100 million franchise fee and Orlando’s investors paid $70 million to get their team into the league. Current plans have Beckham bringing a franchise to Miami with Atlanta and possibly Minnesota rounding out the remaining cities to get the league to 24 teams. With Garber stating that the bids in Miami and Atlanta are “making progress,” what would a David Beckham-owned franchise mean for the league?   The Beckham Experiment, Part 2 In 2007, Major League Soccer adopted the Designated Player Rule, which came to be known as the Beckham Rule. The rule allows MLS squads to sign high-profile players ...