It may have been an off week for Major League Soccer due to the FIFA international window, but there was certainly no shortage of news making headlines around the league.
Here’s a roundup:
SAYING GOODBYE
New York City FC announced today that Frank Lampard will not return to the club next season – his contract is set to expire at the end of 2016. The longtime Chelsea FC midfielder, who also spent time at Manchester City and West Ham United, had 15 goals and four assists in 29 MLS regular season appearances over the last two seasons. Lampard is now 38 years old.
Over in Salt Lake, Argentine attacking midfielder Javier Morales has also bid farewell after 10 seasons with RSL, though there appears to be a little more to this story. Should RSL decline Morales’ option, as these reports suggest, he would be eligible for free agency.
Then there’s Robbie Keane.
The 36-year-old striker, who made over 200 appearances with Tottenham Hotspur before joining LA Galaxy, is out of contract heading into 2017. Keane has stated that he will “100 per cent” remain in MLS – but whether that’s with LA or another team remains to be seen.
Keane would not be eligible for free agency.
SCHWEINSTEIGER-TO-FIRE?
In other player news, it appears that German star Bastian Schweinsteiger (pictured) could be headed to Chicago Fire. Reports suggest that the two parties remain in talks after a four-hour meeting last week – and that the Fire hold Schweinsteiger’s MLS discovery rights.
The former German international spent 13 seasons with Bundesliga powerhouse Bayern Munich before joining Manchester United in 2015.
MOMENTUM BUILDING
The first leg of the all-Canadian Eastern Conference Final between Montreal Impact and Toronto FC is still over a week away, but momentum is already building. In a big way.
The Impact announced on Friday that over 50,000 tickets have been sold for next Tuesday’s clash at Olympic Stadium (5 p.m. PT on TSN), with fewer than 10,000 tickets remaining. Interestingly, the Olympic Stadium tower is being lit up as a barometer for ticket sales.
