Tweetbag: Big transfer swings, MVP breakdown, Giorgio Chiellini experience & more

Kai Wagner is an integral part of why the Philadelphia Union are among the elite teams in MLS and one of the top favorites to make a run for MLS Cup 2022. He has sustained this level of excellence for a few years… he has also sustained his desire to return to Europe at some point sooner rather than later. With these performances come interest from abroad.

It’s a bit of a quandary for the Union, who want to keep their core together for a Cup run. The MLS Secondary Transfer Window is closed (as of Aug. 4), so the Union can only sign free agents (through the Sept. 2 Roster Freeze) if they were to need to replace Wagner. Extremely more likely, any replacement would come internally if Wagner were to leave. Replacing a Best XI-caliber player on the fly is very, very difficult.

With a week left in the transfer window, with what we know right now, I’ve shifted to not expecting Wagner to be moved. Things can always change – please note that before screenshotting this to make fun of me if things do change – but at this stage, it’s looking much more likely than, say, a couple of months ago that Wagner remains a Union player through the season.

What do we know right now? Well, there remains a bunch of teams interested, but, per sources, the Union are still yet to receive a concrete bid for Wagner from Leeds United or anyone else. Interest doesn’t always turn to offers.

In a perfect world? Perhaps the Union could sort a deal in which a transfer for Wagner to Europe is agreed upon for the winter, preserving the current squad at full strength for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs while also securing the bag for his transfer + Wagner having his own future secured. But who knows what’ll happen, if anything. Maybe the club and player revisit this again in the winter. Playing every minute for one of the best teams in MLS isn’t exactly a bad alternative.

Wagner is the biggest name to potentially be transferred in terms of impact on the MLS Cup/playoffs race, but he isn’t the only one with suitors abroad.

Djordje Mihailovic’s transfer to AZ Alkmaar (for 2023) went official Wednesday. Brian Rodriguez to Club America is a strong possibility. Mamadou Fall’s loan to Villarreal is yet to be announced. Young players in this league are on the radar of clubs in Europe, so perhaps we could see a “transfer agreement” for the winter, like Gaga Slonina’s Chelsea agreement, for another player or two.

Watch this space over the last week of the Euro/Mexican transfer windows.