Welcome in. It's time for another edition of the Morning Espresso here on the SDH Network, brought to you by Oglethorpe University, Atlanta's premier undergraduate learning experience and soccer powerhouse. I'm Jason Longshore, and here's a lot of the soccer news you need to know, at least as we get. The day started on Thursday, July twenty fourth. I've already had one story blow up a little bit since I started on my notes. It's a busy one, silly season, chaos.
It's Morning Espresso, It's what we do. Let's start with Atlanta United. Yesterday the official announcement that it had acquired up to eight hundred thousand dollars in General Allocation money in MLS from Montreal in exchange for f Ryan Morales, of which four hundred and fifty thousand dollars is guaranteed. Three hundred and fifty thousand dollars in GAM is conditional.
I talked about it on Atlanta Soccer Tonight. Go back and listen from Tuesday night about my kind of personal feelings about f Ryan and you know, seeing moves like this and how they do make sense for the club to get that much allocation money for a player who was probably going to become a reserve due to the signing of an Ami Chai. I get it. I understand the business, and it is a cruel business at times. It is a business that you have to do these
kind of things to make your team better. That doesn't mean it isn't hard in situations like this with a player like f Ryan, who I've gotten to know over the years, has always been willing to chat. We just sat down with him recently for a feature on the SDH network. You can go read that at Soccer down here dot net. Listen to it on our podcast feed, please do. One of the really good guys and one of the prime examples of the quality of player out
of the Atlanta area. The work that Tony Annon did in the early days of the Atlanta United Academy, continued on by Matt Lowry and now Javier Perez. It's a really good, strong academy producing really good, strong players and people, and f Ryan is one of them, somebody that will always be rooting for in Montreal and with Bolivia as
they try to qualify for a World Cup. But he is officially a member of the CF Montreal roster as of today because this is when the transfer window opens in Major League Soccer, he'll be eligible for them this weekend and Aa me Kai will be eligible for Atlanta United this weekend as they host the Seattle Sounders. For Atlanta United too, there was also news yesterday head coach Steve Cook will leave to join the USL Championship club Lexington SC as the club's academy and youth technical director.
Coached his last game with the twos at Carolina Core over the weekend, join the club in February of twenty twenty three's coached the team since they joined MLS. Next pro Jose Silva, the assistant, will take over as interim head coach as the club begins the search for a replacement.
As you've known and listened to our broadcasts of Atlanta United too on the SDCH network and on ninety two nine in the game, you know the strong regard that we hold Steve Cook in and he has been beyond gracious with his time for us at SDH for us to talk about players you know, both on the record, off the record, just casual chats. He is absolutely one of the great people in the game and We've all been really lucky here in Atlanta for our paths to
cross with Steve Cook. We'll be catching up with him once he gets settled in Lexington. Talk about that role, and don't you worry, Steve Cook will will continue to be a contributor on the SDH network because we've got to have Steve's opinions of what's going on in the sports. I think he's one of the guys who gets the cross section of the on the off field, the human side.
Just absolutely one of the great people in the game, Steve Cook, and you'll be hearing plenty from him down the line, and I'm sure Steve will be very happy to not have to deal with the penalty shootouts and ML's next pro going forward. There are a couple of rumors from top tier sources on the Atlanta United Front that I wanted to share. I'm sure many of you have already seen finalizing a deal, according to Tom Bogert, to sign center back Juan Betrocal that's on loan from Hitafe.
The deal includes a purchase option. Twenty six years old, he spent most of his career in the second division in Spain, has experience in La Liga as well. If you watch the new Rooted documentary from the club, I think it's pretty clear that they're looking for another center back to potentially pair with Mikhai. This would be a loan with the purchase option, so you almost get, however many games he's going to be eligible to play here
in Atlanta by the time he gets here. If this deal gets done, to see and then you can make the decision at the end of the season on keeping him as the partner with me Kai or moving on into a different direction. The other rumored player, This one's been working for a couple of days now, according to Ben Jacobs of Give Me Sport, and Tom Bogert confirmed it. The club has reportedly agreed to a fee of around two million dollars plus add ons with Hull City for
midfielder Steven Alsate. He is a seven cap member of the Columbia national team. He hasn't played for Columbia since since twenty twenty two. He's been with Hull City twenty six years old. Would likely be a partner for Bartos Sleish in the midfield. And I think when you watch Rooted and you think about these rumors and you see the moves that have been done so far. I think you see the value of the partnerships in the spine
of the team. And if you get the center back partnership right with me Kai and Barakal, you get the midfield partnership right with Sleish and Alsat, you're talking about a very different kind of group. Slee should be the one who carries over, and he absolutely should because he's been brilliant this season for Atlanta United. If you get that base of four players right at the hub of your team, the center back and the central midfield, things
should improve. Things should improved dramatically. This should be a team that is much more difficult to break down and a much more effective team. We will see, as always, take rumors with a grain of salt, and we'll see what official announcements are coming. Chris Henderson will speak to the media this morning from Marietta the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta training ground with the transfer window open. We will have updates on that training ground dispatch. I don't know,
I might call it a front office dispatch. Two different things will be posted later this afternoon and you'll be able to hear any specifics from Chris Henderson later this morning on SDHA m MLS All Star last night in Austin, Texas, a three to one win for Major League Soccer against the Stars of Liga MX sellout crowd in Austin at Q two Stadium, Sam Surage. He opened the scoring with a header getting passed Sergio Ramos across from Denny Bwanga,
with Ty Butteribo doubling the lead. After halftime, Joe Beeto Mora pulled one back for Liga MX. The sixteen year old He's had an amazing summer. Mora, what a player. But MLS restored their two goal lead with a finish
from Brian White of the Vancouver white Caps. Three to one for MLS over Lega MX in the All Star Game, but a lot of the conversation was about Lionel Messi and Geordie Alba not participating despite being voted in Don Garber before kickoff, he would not say if the pair would be suspended, which is a rule that the league enacted for healthy players who skip the All Star Game, most prominently's Latan Ibrahimovich. In twenty eighteen, Miami plays Eastern
Conference first place team Cincinnati on Saturday. Don Guarbre said last night that he and his colleagues were quote managing through that process as we speak talking about whether to discipline Messi and Alba, he said, quote, we have an All Star Game that we think is a real priority. It is an important mid season break for us. But he also said, quote, Miami's had a schedule that is unlike any other team. Most of our teams had a ten day break. Miami hasn't, So we have to manage
through that as a league. Messi's played every minute for Miami since coming back from Argentine national team duty in June. It's a lot of minutes. People are going to have opinions either way. It's a no win situation. Good luck Don Garber and MLS in dealing with this and trying to find a resolution that people don't go nuts about. I don't think it's possible. Next All Star Game is
going to be in Charlotte. We'll see what date is going to be set sometime in July, probably after the World Cup concludes on July nineteenth, maybe soon thereafter, maybe a little bit later that. A bigger topic is the potential change to a new calendar format. There was no vote held yesterday about it. The board of Governors met, but Paulton Oreo did some digging and he established that twenty seven of the thirty MLS owners are in favor of the switch. Get it done. It's the smart move.
I was against it for a long, long, long time, but everything has fallen into place now to do it. To start your season in August, take a winter break of six to eight weeks, figure out what that works in the calendar, and then come back and finish the season in late April and have your playoffs in May that would not be interrupted by international breaks. You have an international break in March in the second half of the season that you would be easy to work around.
The beginning of your season would be a little stop start because of the international breaks in September, October and November, but most leagues in the world deal with that. MLS can deal with it as well. Twenty seven of thirty owners favor of the switch. According to Paultonia of the Athletic it's time to get it done, and it should have been done after the World Cup. I don't think it's possible to do that at this point. They've said they're gonna wait and enact it in twenty twenty seven.
I would be completely fine if they go back on their word and say we're gonna start it after the World Cup. Stay tuned, We'll see silly season, Let's go Alexander Esak. He has told Newcastle reportedly this morning, according to Craig Hope of The Daily Mail, that he wants to explore a move away from the club. He is not on their preseason tour. Interested clubs are very aware
of Alexander Esoch's feelings. Liverpool told Newcastle prior to signing Hugo Ekitik that they were prepared to pay a British transfer record fee for Esak. If Liverpool sells Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, maybe they go back for Esak to pair with Ekitik. Maybe I'll Hella have told Newcastle they are ready to make a significant offer. No engagement yet on the player side. He has not shown encouragement to
Saudi Arabia yet. In terms of what he wants to do, Esoch reportedly wants to assess options rather than committing now to a new Newcastle contract. He is contracted through twenty twenty eight. He's well compensated, but now you're going to have a drama in Newcastle who have struggled to bring in players that they've wanted to This summer going to
be very very interesting what happens. This is going to be a huge story all over the world right now, with Alexander Esoch saying he wants to explore leaving Newcastle. Chelsea they have stepped up their pursuit of Chavi Simons from RB Leipzig. That's what according to ESPN twenty one years old, Leipzig are willing to sell, even though they only brought him in on a permanent basis in January for a fee of about fifty nine million dollars. He
had been on loan previously at Leipzig from PSG. Leipzig want to make a profit on the deal. They're looking for a fee in excess of sixty million euro. Chelsea have not agreed to personal terms with Simones yet. Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are also clubs that have shown interest in Chavi Simones. Bayron Munich tracking the situation, especially with Jamal Musciala's injury. Simones would be Chelsea's eighth summer signing if they get a deal done. Raim Sterling could be
on the way out. He is receiving interest from Juventus and bayer Leverkusen. The thirty year old could be moved by Chelsea. Probably would like to be moved by Chelsea and it could be to Italy or Germany. Arsenal they are set to complete the signing of Victor Yolkaris from Sporting in Portugal. According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, a deal worth sixty three point five million euro plus ten million euro and potential add ons is close to
being done, still some minor details. Fifty four goals in fifty two games last year for the twenty seven year old Swedish forward. He's made it clear he wants to go to Arsenal. A contract is agreed between the club and the player. His agent even reportedly waived the commission to get the deal done, and according to reports, Yocharis will arrive in London tomorrow to finalize the move. John Audrias he is headed from Flumenense to Wolves and that is done now. He was one of the best players
at the Club World Cup. The Colombian winger headed England the reportedly seventeen point five million euro plus two point five million in add ons Manchester United. They have held fresh talks over Ali Watkins at aston Villa. Sixty million pound valuation that's deemed too high. According to Manchester United, they would like to have that price come down and then they would like to advance things aston Villa. Unless they get a replacement, they're not going to change their price.
Nicholas Jackson at Chelsea is a player that they would not mind bringing in as a replacement. Leeds. They have reached an agreement in principle with Leon for goalkeeper Brazilian Lucas Perri twenty seven year old has been given permission to travel and undergo a medical state uned Milan. They have confirmed Paravis s Dupignon from Brighton via seventeen million euro plus five million euro add ons Benfica. They're chasing Joel Felix. Talks were held during the club World Cup.
Manager Bruno lag has confirmed the interest in a return and if you haven't seen it, it's not about Joel Felix but Benfica. If you haven't seen it, watched the club's welcome video for Richard Urrios talked about it this week on the Espresso. The conflict between Rios and Benfica's captain at Nicholas Oltamendi. This was during the last World Cup qualifying round with Argentina and Columbia. Funny sequence with those two barkin at one another and they did a
really good video to play off of it. Go watch that at Benfica's social media channels. US men's national team striker Josh Sargent his proposed transfer from Norwich to Volsburg appears to have fallen through, and it is according to people with knowledge of the situation, it was Sargent's decision not to continue with the move to Volsburg. According to Tuto Sport in Italy, Milan and Napoli have inquired about
Weston McKinney of Juventus. He wants to stay in Durin but he does not have a contract extension done yet beyond twenty twenty six. LAFC reportedly pushing hard to sign Tottenham Hotspur Sun's star Soun Hung Men in the summer window. The interest has been reported. The MLS team is really pushing hard here to get this done. One source said there's not substantial movement yet, but the talks continue. A lot of hope in LA they can convince him to join the team for the rest of twenty twenty five
and beyond. Marcus Rashford he might have to wait to become an official Barcelona player. He is semi official at Barcelona now because they still got to register him and this is always a challenge. Reportedly, Barcelona are already over their La Liga salary limit and they have to get this resolved one way or another. He can train, he
can't play in preseason matches even without being registered. It wouldn't be Barcelona without drama, right, and there's even more drama from Barcelona that we did not have on the Bingo card, because this club is just a wizard when it comes to drama and brand new drama that no one expected. Barcelona have canceled their preseason friendly against Vissel Kobe and Japan, citing contractual breaches by the promoter due to non payment from one of the promoters organizing the event.
Their two scheduled friendlies in South Korea are also at risk of not getting done. The club set Barcilar scheduled to play Vissel Kobe on Sunday and then go to South Korea to play FC Soul and Digo FC over
the next week. Barcelona announces that it has been obliged to suspend its participation in the game scheduled for next Sunday in Japan due to serious contractual breaches on behalf of the promoter, according to a statement issued by Barcelona, Nevertheless, the club will consider readjusting the leg of the summer tour in South Korea if certain conditions are met by the promoter. If these conditions are met, then the club
will travel to South Korea in the coming days. Barcelona regrets this incident and the impact it will have on the many many Barsa fans in Japan. Missil Kobe also apologized to fans. One of the promoters, there's two didn't hold up there into the bargain and make the payments that were necessary. Now the games in South Korea are at risk because you have to change the visas with
people coming. Instead of coming from Japan to South Korea, they are coming from Spain to South Korea, and I don't know if they're going to be able to get the visa changes done in time, and Barcelona might miss out on three preseason games and miss out on some revenue from those as well, which we know Barcelona needs their revenue. Let's go to the Women's European Championships. It's been the tournament of the goalkeepers Spain. We're about to
get eliminated against Germany. In the semi final yesterday, Gota cool with literally the last touches of normal time. She makes the save and then gets out of her own net to make a second save on the rebound. That might be the greatest play of her career. Spain went on an extra time to get past Germany one nil. Itana bon Mati beat and Katrin Berger at the near post. I thought it was a great finish from bone Mate.
It was unexpected, great win for Spain. They had never beaten Germany before, They've never been to a Women's European Championship final. They are now. And remember bone Mati came into the Euros after being in the hospital ahead of the tournament with about of viral meningitis. Incredible performance from Aitana bon Maty in extra time, a great finish. Now it's England and Spain in the final on Sunday. Spain, according to OPTA, are given a fifty one point five
percent chance of victory. Ahead of the tournament, these were the top two favorites. England got there maybe on a rockier road. Spain has been the best team in the tournament. So far, these teams have been really even as of late. England are the third European team to reach the final of three concentsuative major tournaments. They lost to Spain in the FIFA World Cup final in twenty twenty three. When these teams met in the UAPH Nations League, both teams
got one nil wins at home in England. TV viewership has been great for this tournament. An average of eight million people in the UK watched the win against Italy in the semi final that delivered ITV's highest viewership of the year. Peak audience reached ten point two million, compared to nine point three million in England's semi final win over Sweden in twenty twenty two. Other news, as we wrap up this edition of The Morning Espresso, Joe Dickerson Ars,
Cameron Blanchard and Logan Brown. They are the three Americans or US based referees among the fifty four referees who have been appointed by FIFA for the U twenty World Cup in Chile. They've been working together in MLS matches. They work games at the Gold Cup this summer. I'm just gonna tell the nations around the world, if you get Joe Dickerson in one of your games, don't talk to him. Just don't talk to him. I think he
enjoys some confrontation. Not really my favorite style of refereeing, to be fair, and I've said that over the years. That's nothing new. Obviously a very good referee to get these kind of assignments. I think at times he enjoys the confrontation a little bit too much, and I hope that gets eliminated from his work, because he's too good of a referee to have that be kind of the first thing I think of when I see him, and there's been a number of incidents. This isn't just a
one time thing. I hope that that can change. I'm not a fan of referees who at times look for confrontation in matches and maybe look for those moments as opposed to downplaying and diffusing them. I think Joe has work to do in that regard. We'll see if the U twenty World Cup helps him in that process. Boca Juniors last night knocked out of the Copa Argentina by Atletico Tukuman. They have now gone ten games in all competitions without a win. It's only the third time in
the club's history that this has happened. Their last win was April nineteenth. Now, the only way for Boca to qualify for the Copa Liberta d'ores next year is through the Klausura in Argentina. If they win the Klausura, they will automatically qualify. If they finish in one of the top two places in the annual combined table between the
Apertura and the Klausura, they will automatically qualify. Right now, they're third, which means they would go into the playoff to qualify, which is where they got knocked out by Alanzelima this year. Now Aleanzelima, speaking of them, they got knocked out of the Libertadors in the group stage, but they went into the Copa Sudamericana because they finished third and they eliminated Grammio last night in the knockout rounds.
After a one to one draw in Brazil, Alanza received a red card at the beginning of stoppage time in the second half. They scored in the ninety sixth minute to tie the match. And advance. Fernando guy Bor had an incredible through ball and to finish from Ernan Barco's top tier. Go watch it if you get a chance. Aleanzelima getting past Gremio in the Copa suit Americana last night. Stay in Brazil. Paul Metis. They had a big comeback win at Flumenence last night in the Brazilian top flight
two to one. Vitor Roke completed the comeback with the winner. Paul Mettris is now in third place, but they have two games in hand on leaders Crusero, who drew last night at Corinthians. And your crazy story of the day. To wrap up the Espresso, Mark Bryce. He has denied that he quit as coach of Cameroon, despite the country's football federation confirming his exit yesterday. The Belgian coach has said his email was likely hacked and his alleged resignation
letter did not come from him. That's the new one. I've never heard that. Another one for the Bengo card. This is a long issue between Bryce and the Cameroon Football Federation. He was appointed in April twenty twenty four.
The letter was dated July twenty first. Supposed to leave from Bryce to the Sports Ministry and the Football Federation, saying that he had made the decision to terminate his contract quote due to the non payment of my renuneration and that of my staff for more than sixty days.
The letter came into the public domain on Wednesday. The Federation said in a statement they had noted the resignation and would quote implement a coordinated response to mitigate the impact of this vacancy at the head of the national team's technical staff. Then Bryce said in a state in a letter to the Sports Ministry that his email had likely been hacked and that he had not resigned. I got nothing. That's a new one. Never thought I'd have
that conversation here on the morning espresso. This is what happens during a crazy summer of soccer. Today at Lanta United training, we will have training ground dispatch, we will have a front office dispatch. Chris Henderson's going to speak to the media. Ronnie dild is going to speak to the media. We'll get you ready for Atlanta and Seattle. We'll get you ready for the rest the silly season
for Atlanta United. You're going to get some information both On On ninety two ninees Off the Woodwork podcast and on the SDH social media's from our old friend Jack Collison about West Ham's visit as part of the Premier League Summer series. All kinds of stuff happening. This is what we do in the summer of soccer on the
SDCH network. Big thank you to our friends at Oglethorpe University for sponsoring this edition and every edition of The Morning Espresso and there will be a fresh cup of espresso for you tomorrow on Friday Morning.