Despite reports to the contrary that Ricardo Clark has signed for Livorno and will join them in December , this is not true according to Chris Canetti the Ceo of the Houston Dynamo who has been in contact with Clark.
Also, having interviewed Ricardo Clark this morning at Robertson Stadium for the Fox tv show “Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis”, Clark only acknowledged that their was interest and an offer with Livorno and other clubs in Europe. The first offer was apparently rejected.
Now obviously all involved have to be careful in the negotiation process but I am thinking if I am Livorno I want Ricardo Clark at the start of my season as opposed to during the December transfer window. Of course that is a position the Dynamo and MLS are fully aware of so you would have to think they will expect Livorno “to pay” for acquiring Clark now during the summer transfer window as they should.
To lose Clark now would be challenging at this stage for the Dynamo with Richard Mulrooney now shelved for the season and Concacaf Champions League play right around the corner.
These are obviously interesting times for the talented Clark who had an exceptional Confederations Cup for the United States and was a part of their historic win over Spain and recently with his wife had their second child.
You get the sense that a move is will get done but the question is for what time period?
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Are we sure of this Glenn? If Rico signs a contract to join Livorno in Decemeber/January (after his MLS contract is up), Canetti and the Dynamo don’t have any recourse. Obviously, it would be in everyone’s best interest for Clark to notify the team asap if he signs on elsewhere. But signing a contract that begins in January leaves the Dynamo and MLS powerless in this matter, no?
If the reports out of Italy (saying he is “signed”) are true (a big “if”), then I can only be happy for him.
That would also mean that MLS/Dynamo recieve nothing for the transfer.
I hope he stays one more year so we can at least do some restructuring.
Though, the timeline of this afternoon’s events has me thinking. How can Glenn be so sure that Rico hasn’t signed? Bernardo Fallas’ report (for those who don’t know, he’s the team beat writer for the local newspaper) derived his report from a pretty reputable website after 4:00pm website. The story seems pretty clear that Ricardo is going to sign with them.
Yet, at 5:00pm, Glenn writes that Rico hasn’t signed. So, either somebody is lying (quite possible) or something is amiss here. Glenn probably had enough time to call Canetti and maybe Rico as well (and if he called Rico, did Rico say anything interesting?). But that would be it.
Is it possible that we’re just debating the semantics of the english language and that Rico, who hasn’t signed yet, will sign in the next few days? Or, is it possible that Rico has signed and Canetti doesn’t know it yet?
We could be debating semantics and that none of this matters in the next few days. Or, there could be an interesting story for how this became such great confusion. Should be interesting.
My instinct tells me he’s leaving for Italy but that he’ll finish the season here (i.e., the news report is correct). Though, I thought he was going to France to play for Rennes alongside Carlos Bocanegra. So I could be wrong on a lot of this. Just my 2 cents.
Now lets all just take a collective deep breath…I’m extremely disappointed in all of y’all…First of all as football fans we should know that when it comes to the transfer window all things are about as wacky as CONCACAF officiating…Maybe Clark signed…maybe he didnt…Maybe Livorno never made an offer and Clark is using this as a negotiating tool against another European team…truth is I am pretty sure Clark is going to leave the Dynamo for Europe either this transfer window or next so we might as well start getting used to the idea that he’s leaving us…so if Clark ever happens to read this, which I doubt… Good luck man, it was great to root for you as a Dynamo and USMNT fan…but horrible to be going against you as a Pachuca and Mexican fan. You deserve all the great things are coming or going to come your way!
Oh forgot one thing…DC UNITED and LUIS ANGEL FIRPO are currently playing in CONCACHAMPIONS and PACHUCA is going to go against JALAPA at 9 in case y’all are interested in some international play….Arriba Tuzos Del Pachuca!!!!!
I would not go on anything that foreign media reports as concrete, especially in the world of soccer they are known for publishing rumors as fact and then being proven wrong and not blinking. Journalism isn’t the same overseas as in the US.
I think Rico’s agent is a pretty good one (name escapes me but he represents a bunch of top Americans) and these guys manufacture stories all the time to create fake interest in their clients.
That said, I concur that Clark is likely gone and will have options in Europe if he wants to go. His Dynamo contract expires at the end of the year and he’ll be free to go with no transfer fee and the Dynamo and MLS have no say at that time. It’s up to him and I don’t think Dom likes to hold guys here who don’t want to be here (DeRo??).
But at the same time, the Dynamo and MLS have every right to demand compensation to let him go now, especially with Mulrooney down. I do have a hard time believing some of the transfer fees floated on this to get Rico to come over 4 months or so early (3-4 Million euros). But if true, the Dynamo would have to consider if selling Clark allows them to get a replacement and maybe sign Holden long-term. I think what will hold this deal up is the Dynamo getting the back end of the deal completed (either replacing Clark, an allocation amount, maybe extending Holden).
Guys, guys. Don’t panic just yet. From what I see, the only report saying Clark has signed is the one by the Italian newspaper. Glenn has Canetti on the record saying that is not true. If you go over to Fallas’ blog, which only links to the newspaper report, he updated earlier this afternoon saying that Dynamo brass were denying the report. I don’t see much contradiction here. Hopefully Mr. Clark stays at least through the end of the season.
It’s not up to the FO. Clark is out of contract at the end of the season. If he has or will sign, then no one get’s a transfer fee, he is a free agent and a free transfer. That is probably one of the most appealing aspects to a European team. They can sign him on the cheap. He will no doubt be extremely enthused by the interest and would jump at the chance to play in Europe. If only as a springbiard to bigger and better things.
Rico will go. We should look for a replacement now.
Holden likely will go as well. I see Holland as being a good league for him. But who know’s? The international transfer scene is wacky.
This seems a little different from the reports about France. This one from Italy came from quotes given by the Livorno GM. Now, the Beckham affair should have taught all of us that these guys like to jump the gun, and call a deal done before it is. But when they say something, it is their intention to follow through.
My feeling is that the offer is real, but things haven’t been penned yet. So everyone is sort of right from a certain point of view.
It seems to be a foregone conclusion that the Dynamo will be losing top players, BUT don’t they have a contractual obligation to finish the current season with the Dynamo? To lose Holden and Clark at this time would pretty much do in the team at playoff time.
Yes, both players are under contract through the end of the MLS season (not sure how far that extends for post season things like CCL). If they left before that, it would have to be as a transfer which means that the Dynamo would be owed a fee for their troubles that the FO would have to agree upon. Livorno attempted this with an offer and the Dynamo FO turned it down for the reason you stated and probably thinking it wasn’t enough of a compensation.
If things pan out like the statements by the Livorno GM laid out, then Clark would be joining the team after the season/end of his contract. That’s what’s called a free transfer.
We’re all assuming that there is growing interest in Holden (because there should be for young raising talents), but nothing has been reported yet about a specific club making an offer for him.
Usually, players in MLS who leave for Europe on free transfers leave in the January transfer window (though, in some years, this window stretches from a few days in late December and into the first few days of February).
Haven\’t heard anything on Holden. He\’s a good young player. Somebody should have an interest in him and there\’s plenty of time for that interest to develop. There\’s also plenty of time for him to agree to a new deal with the Dynamo (who can negotiate with him throughout the remainder of the season and into the off-season).
Not sure what will happen with Holden. But there\’s plenty of time for that to play itself out.