The MLS White Elephant Party: Manic Monday Open Thread

The rumors have been building over the last few weeks and now there will finally be some payoff for fans of the Portland Timbers as the MLS trade window opens briefly today from 6:00 AM PT to 10:00 AM PT.

Beyond the four hour trade window, today also marks the deadline for teams to announce declined options on players's contacts and for teams to announce their eleven-man protected player lists for Wednesday's expansion draft.

There is sure to be plenty of news coming from all over MLS and we will be collecting and dissecting it all right here. Tune in bright and early to keep up with all the goings on from around the league.

Portland Timbers News

9:30 a.m. - The Timbers announce their player options:

Under Contract for 2015: Donovan Ricketts, Jack Jewsbury, Nortberto Papratto, Liam Ridgewell, Diego Chara, Will Johnson, Darlington Nagbe, Diego Valeri, Fanendo Adi, Schillo Tshuma, Maximiliano Urruti

Options Picks Up: George Fochive, Michael Nanchoff, Rodney Wallace, Ben Zemanski, Taylor Peay, Jake Gleeson, Andrew Weber

In Contract Discussions: Gaston Fernandez

Options Declined: Kalif Alhassan, Steven Evans, Bryan Gallego, Pa Modou Kah

Sold: Jose Adolfo Valencia

Out of Contract: Rauwshan McKenzie, Danny O'Rourke

Signed a new contract with the team: Jorge Villafana

9:15 a.m. - Jeanderson Salvador Pereira is announced as a new Timbers defender. If he goes purely by his first name, the signing should be worth it for the jersey sales alone.

9:00 a.m. - Alvas Powell is no longer a loaner; the Timbers announce that the team has acquired Powell from Portmore United and signed him to a long-term contract.

8:45 a.m. - The Timbers confirm that they have picked up Nat Borchers from Real Salt Lake in exchange for allocation money. Borchers has already been spotted around Portland and has even been photographed holding an iconic No Pity scarf.

8:30 a.m. - Not all the moves coming today had been leaked. The Timbers keep everyone guessing with their third announcement of the day, the acquisition of Colombian forward Dairon Asprilla from Alianza Petrolera.

8:15 a.m. - The Timbers have signed goalkeeper Adam Larsen Kwarasey.

Timbers sign Ghana World Cup goalkeeper Adam Larsen-Kwarasey: http://t.co/aDmS17myax #RCTID pic.twitter.com/msoZC4qT07

— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) December 8, 2014

8:00 a.m. - Jamie Goldberg of The Oregonian reports the Timbers have traded Michael Harrington to the Colorado Rapids in exchange for allocation money. More to come.

Timbers have officially acquired allocation money from Colorado Rapids in exchange for defender Michael Harrington #RCTID

— Jamie Goldberg (@Jamiebgoldberg) December 8, 2014

7:25 a.m. - Word is getting out the Timbers will be making five announcements today in addition to the disclosure of player options declined and exercised and the release of the expansion-draft protected list.

Hearing PTFC has 5 announcements in addition to the list of options exercised and declined as well as their protected list. Busy day. #RCTID

— Chris Rifer (@ChrisRifer) December 8, 2014

UPDATE: The Timbers will have SIX announcements in addition to options exercised and declined and the protected list.

The veritable Christmas morning that Monday promised to be for Timbers fans turned a little bit more like Hanukkah last week as a number of Timbers stories leaked out. To recap, here’s what we discovered:

According to a report out of Norway, the Timbers have signed Ghanain National Team keeper Adam Larsen Kwarasey.

Somewhat closer to home, The Gleaner, a Kingston publication, reported the Timbers exercised their $100,000 option to purchase Alvas Powell outright.

On Thursday Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl broke the news via Twitter that the Timbers had acquired Real Salt Lake centerback Nat Borchers from the Claret-and-Cobalt for allocation money.

Hearing Portland has acquired Nat Borchers in a trade with Salt Lake for allocation money. Good veteran MLS defender.

— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) December 4, 2014

Finally, in some Friday drama, Jamie Goldberg of The Oregonian dug deep into the underbelly of the internet to discover the Timbers have traded Michael Harrington to the Colorado Rapids for as-yet unknown compensation.

Stay tuned for more announcements from the Timbers including the disclosure of options declined and out-of-contract players, a strong likelihood of more player acquisitions, and, finally, the release of the Timbers expansion-draft protected list.

MLS News

7:45 a.m. - Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star reports Sporting Kansas City has acquired Bernardo Anor from Columbus Crew SC in exchange for allocation money. Anor had a big year in 2014.

Sources also tell me #SportingKC will acquire midfielder Bernardo Anor from Columbus Crew in exchange for allocation money.

— Sam McDowell (@SamMcDowell11) December 8, 2014

7:10 a.m. - Jonathan Tannenwald reporting the Union have acquired C.J. Sapong in a trade with Sporting Kansas City. It has previously been rumored the trade would involve Zac MacMath.

I can confirm that the Union will acquire C.J. Sapong from Sporting Kansas City via trade. More to come.

— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) December 8, 2014

7:00 a.m. - Paul Tenorio of the Orlando Sentinel is reporting Orlando City has acquired Aurelien Collin from Sporting Kansas City for allocation money and future considerations, in addition to Okugo from Philadelphia.

6:15 a.m. - Last night Philly Soccer Page reported, and Ives Galarcep confirmed, the Philadelphia Union are poised to send Amobi Okugo to Orlando City for $100,000 in allocation money. Union fans appear, well, upset.

Sources have confirmed to me the Union have completed deal sending Amobi Okugo to Orlando City for 100K in allocation money. #DOOP #OCSC

— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) December 8, 2014

Meanwhile, the Union declined options on Corben Bone, Fred, Brian Brown, Conor Casey, and Cristhian Hernandez, while defensive midfielder Brian Carroll is out of contract.