Last March there was a report coming out of Australia that Adelaide United player Marcos Flores could be heading to the Portland Timbers before the transfer window closes as the team's Designated Player. This report ended up being false, at least according to its time table. Yesterday a fresh report popped up on Adelaide Now (Adelaide's newspaper) that the Timbers might be interested in him. Here's the exact quote:
The Argentinean could almost double his salary if he walked away from the Reds and into the arms of another club with US club Portland Timbers and Argentina's Godoy Cruz also signalling interest.
By no means and out an out confirmation, but interesting nonetheless that, according to this newspaper, the Timbers have signaled "interest" in Flores. I don't personally believe it, but I don't have any backroom knowledge of the Timbers summer transfer window plans either.
Still, while we're on the subject, let's take a few minutes to discuss why the Timbers would even need Flores right now.
I have no doubt that Flores is a great player. He won the A-Leagues most prestigious award for this past season and from the highlight videos I've seen he's a great center midfielder. But then again the Timbers seem to be doing phenomenally with both Jack Jewsbury, the captain, and Diego Chara heading up that section. Were Flores to be transferred over one of those players would definitely have to come out and I'm not sure John Spencer is willing to do that right now.
The again if the Portland Timbers were looking for a true Designated Player, perhaps Marcos Flores would fit the bill quite nicely. The same report out of Australia said that Flores is being tempted by another A-League club worth almost $200,000 more per season than his current deal with Adelaide United ($350,000). Those numbers in MLS would place him squarely at a true Designated Player price (remember Diego Chara is only a Designated Player due to his transfer fee).
I just crunched the numbers for the Timbers' total roster salary and it comes in almost perfectly under the $375,000 required for a DP which means the Timbers are probably holding out for somebody. Could that somebody be Flores? Again, I doubt it, but crazier things have happened.
[via Adelaide Now]