Welcome in for another edition of the Morning Espresso on the SDACH Network, brought to you by Oglethorpe University, Atlanta's premier undergraduate learning experience and soccer powerhouse. I'm Jason Longshore. Let's get into a lot of the soccer news you need to know to start your Monday, July twenty first, a very busy Monday, as the transfer window is wide open in Europe. It opens officially in Major League Soccer on Thursday. But things are happening. Let's talk about it.
Let's start with the match on Saturday night at Mercedes Benz Stadium. Another second half collapse from Atlanta United. A one nil lead turned into a three to two loss. It opened with a great goal, Bartos Schleish with a perfect paul to Tristan Buiambabo headed at home. Atlanta conceded seconds into the second half. Substitute Pedro Amador slipped back line got opened up. Another goal in the first fifteen minutes was scored first fifteen minutes of the second half,
the seventeenth of the season. That was scored a few minutes later, and Charlotte ended up with a third from Pep bl and that one was necessary because Latte Lot pulled one back late. Atlanta kept throwing numbers forward, but Charlotte were the only team to take all nine points from the crowded week and they get to win their third at Mercedes Benz Stadium. I'm gonna give you this quote from Ronnie Dila. It was also in our recap of the match you can read at soccer down here
dot net from Caroline Hood. This is from ronniey Dila after the game. He said, we scored two goals and we could have scored more. But you cannot go into a match thinking you need to score four goals every time if you want to win. So it is the same story, soft and no care. That is how I would describe it. And you can blame me, you can blame everyone, but in the end, it is me that
is responsible for this. That's a head coach falling on his sword for his players in a moment where you know, when you're talking about a team being soft and no character, you're looking at the personnel that are making up the team. I think it's hard for a coach to make a team be incredibly less soft and build character. I think coaches can affect that, but a real challenge for Ronnie Dila and I think you can hear the frustration in him.
You know, you heard it in our post game catch up with him with Madison Cruz on the field after the final whistle. Very very frustrating night for Atlanta United, and the playoffs are looking far and far less likely at this point. Rumors yesterday rock the Internet as well. Tom Bogert reported, according to sources, CF Montreal have reached an agree meant to acquire center back f Ryan Morales
from Atlanta United. Morales left the match on Saturday night at halftime, and it was kind of confusing as to what the issue was. Was described as him not being able to sprint, but not an injury. I'm not sure what the discomfort was. But Morales has made twelve first team appearances for Atlanta United. And according to Bogert, you know, and I think just reading the tea leaves here. George Campbell, who was a former Atlanta United center back, went to Montreal.
Now he is leaving Montreal for West brom So Montreal needs a center back. Why not go back to where they got George Campbell from that move? When George went to Montreal in December of twenty twenty two ahead of
the twenty twenty three season. According to reports, that ended up netting around seven hundred thousand in general allocation money, a pretty significant return, and as Chris Henderson told us on the pregame show on Saturday Night, there is a sell on fee for the Campbell to West Brom move, so Atlanta will get a little something more out of that portion of the deal, maybe taking that number up even higher on what Atlanta ultimately got for George Campbell,
I think it's safe to expect a similar type of return in f Ryan Morales going to Montreal. Campbell played more first team matches here before the move than Morales. Morales is a senior international for Bolivia. Maybe that tilts it a little bit. Also, Montreal is in a position of need and Atlanta can maybe get a little bit better price inflation. I don't know factors into this as well.
It's a move that the rumor hits yesterday. And as somebody who's gotten to know f Ryan over the years and watched his career from Academy games, one of the first academy signings for Atlanta United as a U twelve signing, a professional deal in twenty twenty and scoring on his debut with Atlanta United too. All the injuries that he
struggled with. You know, we just sat down with him recently and talked about how it was very difficult for him to get through that period where he kept getting hurt and it was hard for him to get the
games that he needed to develop. Looked like he was going to get passed by other players, and maybe did, but he fought his way through it and really built his way up from Atlanta United to where he started to put together consistent performances game after game and earned his time with the first team last year and has earned more this year and has been playing extremely well
as of late. The move can't be official until Thursday, so he could factor into Montreal's next match on the weekend, depending on if there was an injury on Saturday night. But it's a move that is bittersweet in the sense that as you get to know these guys, and especially the homegrowns, and you see how much they believe and bleed in the club and put everything towards it, not just for themselves to develop, but also because of that hometown connection. It's hard when that time comes that they
leave the club. And when you look at where Atlanta United is at this moment in time, I don't think anyone can argue that they don't need to upgrade this roster. I mean, when Ronnie Diilas says what he said after the game, you have to go get some players who are not so often have character to change it. You have to when you look at what your assets are to move to do that. In a salary cap league, you can't just go spend. You have to move pieces out to bring pieces in. That's just the nature of
a league with a salary cap. Oftentimes your most marketable pieces to go bring in assets are players that you don't always want to let go, and I think f Ryan Morales would fall into that category. So we'll see if this gets done. Tom Bogert not one to report things that are not in motion, so we will keep you posted. Just remember again, the transfer window opens on
Thursday and closes on Thursday, August twenty first. Playoffs probably not likely for Atlanta United this season, so you're looking at moves that maybe impact twenty twenty six more than impact things immediately. Have not heard of any other rumors of players incoming outside of any Amihi, who is in Atlanta now and getting ready to join the team in training hopefully this week if all goes well with medical and just getting settled, and maybe could even factor in
on Saturday against the Seattle Sounders. So you'd like to get moves done quickly, of course, but you're gonna have to get moves done in the correct way really for next season. So a lot for Chris Henderson and his staff to balance as you try to upgrade roster after a disappointing loss to Charlotte and what looks like the imminent departure of f Ryan Morales. Let's get into MLS around the league Lineal Messi and Sam Surage. They head into the All Star Game break with the lead in
the Golden Boot Race. Both have eighteen goals. Messi scored twice in a demolition job of the New York Red Bulls in New Jersey five to one. He also had two assists. In the last seven games, Messi has scored twelve goals and has seven assists, which is absolutely obscene numbers. He leads the Golden Boot race with twenty seven total goal contributions. They're tied on goals scored at eighteen. The All Star Game against Lega MX All Stars is on
Wednesday in Austin, Texas. Other things that jumped out to me from this weekend around MLS Orlando. They got a much needed win in New England on Saturday night to one. New England is really struggling as of late, pulling in two points out of their last eight matches. Orlando maybe writing the ship a little bit after some some poor results as of late. Chicago. They had a poor result on Wednesday in Atlanta. They bounced back from that late
draw with a win in Montreal to nil. They keep their playoff hopes alive and will need to keep picking up points as right now they're on the outside looking in. Fabrizio Romano reporting this morning that Charlotte FC are pursuing Queen's Park Rangers striker Charlie Kellman as they're looking for the Patrick Agumann replacement. Charlotte have had an initial bid rejected by QPR. Previous rumors had Charlotte in negotiations with Cruz Asoul over your Ghostyakamaki's and I'm not sure if
those are still on Women's European Championships. The semi finals are now locked in. England will play Italy on Tuesday. Germany will play Spain on Wednesday. Spain has been the best team in the tournament, but that semi final with Germany's going to be a tough one. Germany survived an early red card and a penalty shootout to get past a young France team in the quarterfinals. On the Italian side of things, they're one went away from reaching the
final for the first time in the Women's Euros. Three years ago, their players couldn't even play professionally in their own country. Two point four million television viewers in Italy a sixteen point two percent audience share, watched that match against Norway. That got Italy threw, probably going to be an even bigger number in the semi finals against England, where England will be a decided favorite in this one. Liam Williamson, their captain, trained with the team on Monday.
She limped off with an ankle injury late in the win against Sweden that needed penalties, but she trained. She should be available for the semi final tomorrow. We'll also see how England handles the issues that they are dealing with off the field and it's not of their doing. Jess Carter defender says she has been subject to racial
abuse online at the Euros. The FA has contacted police back in the UK Lucy Brown's he stated that the growth of women's football has led to an increase in racist abuse towards players as the game is drawing more and more fans and that spotlight is amplified and you're not seeing it as much in the stadiums, you're seeing it online, which is something that has to get handled better by social media companies and hopefully if you're starting to get police involvement, you'll start to see this, I
don't know managed better. It's a really frustrating thing and I hate that Jess Carter is having to deal with this. Gotham FC have come out and put out statements, The Lionesses as a team have put out statements. The statements are important, but we've got to find better ways to change the behavior and punish the behavior. That's kind of the next step here. Silly season. Manchester United, they've finally
gotten the deal done for Brian and Boomo. They're going to pay eighty seven million dollars should confirm his arrival shortly Marcus Rashford on the way out. He is going on loan to Barcelona. Barcelona needs a winger after they could not get Nico Williams, so everybody should be happy
with that. According to the BBC this morning, Liverpool have agreed to an initial sixty nine million pound fee to sign eintrach Frankfurt striker Hugo at Ktike, twenty three year old Frenchman expected to arrive in the UK on Tuesday before having a medical. Frankfort's accepted a deal worth seventy nine million pounds sixty nine million guaranteed ten million in add ons. Six year contracts should join Liverpool's Asian tour
later this week. That arrival is going to push Liverpool's spending for the summer past two hundred and fifty million pounds. They might get some more money coming back in though Luis Diaz he is determined to leave Liverpool, hoping Bayern Munich will make a new offer. Liverpool rejected a seventy eight point six million dollars bid from Byron last week.
A source told ESPN that the Bundesliga giants are preparing a new offer of more than eighty million dollars plus add ons, as they have earmarked the Colombian winger as a priority signing this summer go to Real Madrid Tibau courtois he's going to stay put at least until twenty
twenty seven. He has a new two year contract with the club, but according to Talk Sports, Saudi officials a La Lie at alak Lie have lined up a record three hundred million euro bid that's over three hundred and fifty million dollars for Venetius Junior in case of a fallout between him and the club over a new contract. The Saudi club are also willing to offer Venetius a five year contract worth a total of one point two billion dollars to bring him in. He said he wants
to continue at Madrid. His demand is to be the highest paid player at the club, which raises some uncertainty over his future. The Saudis are making the long play here. They'd like to get a deal done as soon as possible, but they are okay if they have to wait until later, even the twenty twenty seven twenty twenty eight season, when his contract is up, because he'll still be in his prime. Yers at that point Madrid want to extend his contract
until twenty thirty. There's two years left on the current deal he wants Venezias Junior wants a hefty thirty five million dollars per year contract plus a renewal bonus, which would make him the highest paid player at the club. Wrexham, they are trying to boost their club up for the Championship. Their transfer record was broken. They made a two point two million pound signing of New Zealand international left back Liberato ca Cassees that was done on Friday. He is
arriving from Emply in Italy. US men's national team forward Josh Sargent he's on the verge of joining Volfsberg in a deal worth in excess of twenty four million dollars. According to ESPN, he's been really good at Norwich. He hasn't been able to translate that to the US men's national team forty six goals in one hundred and twenty four games at Norwich Napoli they have bolstered their squad trying to defend their Seria title. They have signed Sam
Bukima from Bologna. That was announced on Sunday, the Dutchmen joining on a five year deal worth thirty nearly thirty five million dollars. According to Italian media, Juventus they are trying to upgrade their squad and Tuto Sports is confirming that sales of Samuel in Bangala and Timothy Weya will provide Juventus with the required money they need to sign Jaden Sancho from Manchester United. Kind of going back to touch on the f Ryan Morales rumors, this is what
you have to deal with at certain points. Uve is dealing with it. They have to move on from players to bring somebody in. Looks like in Bangala and Weya are going to Verde, Bremen and Marseille respectively. In Bangala will go to verter on a permanent deal worth thirteen million euro. It looks like Weya will go to Marseille for about fifteen million euro. That's going to give them the funds to go get Jaden Sancho from Manchester United.
His agent recently met in Turin with the club principle of agreement with the player and with the club, and Sancho is pushing youve to finalize the deal soon. They want to get it done by the end of the week when the team starts their preseason Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, he has said it's been a really frustrating summer. Quote. We've been very close to signing several players and for
different reasons. There's not one theme. While we haven't signed more, we've ended up missing out on a few who would have made a difference unquote. It might get even more frustrating if al Helal chases Alexander Esach. Le Keep is reporting that this is an ongoing chase. They've already started talks with the Swedish players entourage and they know the terms of a deal. Newcastle one one hundred and thirty million euro. Esach has agreed to open negotiations with the Saudis,
according to reports. This is, according to let Keep, so fascinating that you've got the potential of Newcastle missing out on Ekateka along with others that they have chased in this offseason. In Bumo was one that was mentioned with Newcastle early on. They're looking like they're going to keep Esoch from going to Liverpool, but now he might go
to Saudi Arabia. They're going to have to if they can't keep him, they're going to have to really go out and spend and They've struggled to get deals done. It's a fascinating situation for Newcastle as they try to cement themselves in the top end of the Premier League, but honestly they're struggling to do that in the transfer market. Let's go to Italy real quick YUEFA has confirmed that only one Italian stadium, the Alian Stadium in Turin, where
UVE plays. That's the only one that currently meets the standards to host Euro twenty thirty two matches. Italy's co hosting the tournament with Turkey. They've got to submit a list of five fully compliant stadiums by October of twenty twenty six. The FA initially post ten stadiums, iconic venues like the Sanseero, the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples, the Stadio Olympico in Rome. They've all been deemed unsuitable
in their current state. The Sun Zero was ruled out as a venue for the twenty twenty seven Champions League final. They are expecting to do renovations that will be completed by twenty thirty one, but this is the struggle that Italian clubs deal with getting either rebuilt stadiums or renovated stadiums or new stadiums are extremely difficult. Public bodies typically own the stadiums projects get caught up in red tape. Only six Italian stadiums were built or redeveloped between two
thousand and seven and twenty twenty four. Nineteen stadiums in Germany, thirteen in England twelve in France were done in that same period of time. The Italian government's now working on a plan to appoint a special commissioner with the power to fast track projects worth five dollars. We will see you. Had a champion declared in the WPSL this weekend, Expansion Sporting ct They scored four goals in the first thirty five minutes to win the championship four nil win over
defending champions California Storm in the final. Some other news around the women's game Iran they handed Jordan a two to one defeat. In a month on Saturday, they claimed the final birth at next year's Women's Asian Cup Finals, which are going to be played in Australia in March. Second half goals from Sara Ddar and Niggin Zandi earned the team a win that secured top spot in Group A, as Iran will go ahead of the Jordanians due to
their better head to head record. In the Women's Afcon tournament, Nigeria thumped Zambia five nil in the quarterfinals. Morocco beat Malli three to one. The other two matches needed penalties after scoreless draws. Ghana got past Algeria. South Africa defeated Senegal, so Morocco will play Ghana in the second match in tomorrow's semi finals. After South Africa faces Nigeria, Let's go
to South America. The Copa America Feminina. In the group stage, Brazil and Argentina they lead their groups with perfect records. Argentina had to come back with a stoppage time winner against Chile in their last match to stay perfect. aDNA Cometti with the header late to win that one. Brazil puts their perfect record on the line tomorrow against Potaguay. Colombia is chasing Brazil in Group B. Linda Caceedo scored
twice in Colombia's last win. As right now they're battling with Venezuela for the second place spot and a booking in the semi finals. Kevin de Bruyne he's gonna wear Napoli's number ten shirt next season, following in Diego Maradona's footsteps. That's gonna be a little bit of extra pressure on him, but it seems like he is excited about taking on that pressure. Down in Argentina, nineteen year old Santiago Lincina he scored twice for River as they hammered ten man
Institution to four nil on Saturday. Two wins from two matches in the Klaus Sura for Rivers. They get things started very well. They will also be in the Copa Lberta d'oris knockout rounds later in the year, starting in about a month's time. As reporting this morning out of Spain Barcelona, you knew there was going to be a
Barcelona update in this. On Friday it came out that the match the Joan Gamper Trophy, the preseason game with Como, is not going to be played at the Company at all, after the club had initially said they'd play in front of sixty thousand people, then they tried to walk that down to about thirty thousand people, not going to be played there at all, and now news this morning the club is beginning it probably should go past the beginning stage to seriously consider playing the at least first half
of the next La Liga season back at the stadium they played at last season, the Estadi Olympic de Montuk. It's a fiasco. There's just no The as described it as a fiasco of stratospheric proportions. Like they were supposed to according to announcements, be back in the camp new in November of twenty twenty four. They might not be there until at least early twenty twenty six. And you can't really actually believe that's gonna happen, can you. And
this is going to affect their salary cap. This is going to affect how much they can spend because they're not going to be able to get the VIP seats that they allegedly sold and allegedly used to finance Donnie Aulmost registration, which wasn't accurate and didn't happen, but somehow was allowed to go through. Now they're not going to be able to book that for this season and that's going to affect what they can do. We'll see if they can get the Marcus Rashford deal done for example.
Good times. Thank you Barcelona for always being a source
of entertainment when it comes to mismanagement. Let's say that's going to do it for this edition of The Morning Espresso back tomorrow, and it could be a busy week as the transfer window at Major League Soccer is opening on Thursday, so teams are going to be even more aggressive in getting deals done ahead of that, trying to get things ready to start this weekend with players potentially playing in new places on the weekend and then incoming
deals following outgoing deals as clubs managed salary caps. We'll be talking about all of it on SDHAM all week nine oh five live on Twitch and x and YouTube. You can always catch it on demand in those places as well as long as well as where you get your podcasts. Atlanta Soccer tonight tomorrow. We'll have training ground dispatches from Marietta this week as well as Atlanta will host Seattle on Saturday. All the things as the summer silly season continues to ramp up here in Atlanta and
the rest of the world. Thanks for listening, and thank you to our friends at Oglethorpe University for sponsoring The Morning Espresso