This news coming from media day today:
Escalada
I was able to confirm that Real Salt Lake has filed a discovery on this player, and will own his rights if he comes to MLS. According to Garth Lagerway, the team likes this player, but he cautioned that until a deal is signed anything can happen when dealing in South America. If reports out of Ecuador are to be believed this deal is imminent and Escalada may soon join RSL. We'll keep you updated as this develops.
Espindola
Apparantly RSL still likes Fabian and wanted him back this season. They simply were outbid for his services by the Venezualan side that he is currently playing for. According to Lagerway, he is getting around double what he made last season, so "we weren't even close". However, his contract in Venezuela is only through June, and Lagerway hinted that "we'll keep tabs on him". RSL would retain his MLS rights if he returned to the league.
El Khalifi
This isn't a done deal (his trial) but Garth seemed to think this would happen. It's been reported that he will join the team in California. This is believed to be one of "a dozen or so players" that RSL is targeting. According to Lagerway, the team is trying now to see them all play in person, either with us or on their current teams. The team will then narrow them down and fill "one or more roster spots".
Findley
I started by asking him about his Brondby trial. Without being prompted, he clarified that it wasn't a trial, and that he was there just to train and see what it's like as he feels like in the future he'd like to give Europe a shot. He also wanted to get a jumpstart on the preseason as he wants to earn a starting spot for RSL. He acted perturbed about people calling it a trial. I heard him make the same comments to other reporters. Has he been reading Big Soccer? He also indicated that he received positive feedback from the side from Denmark.
Joy
Ian is back, for now. He indicated that he was looking for the right offer in Europe with the right club but didn't find it. I asked if that was still a possibility, and he said "anything is possible", and that's largely "in Garth and Jason's hands". Is this dependant on him maintaining a starting role? Ian messing with us? Just a generic, harmless statement? Who knows.
