What I’m Hearing: Timo Werner, coaching changes, transfers as MLS Cup approaches
Even with MLS Cup on Saturday, the offseason is well underway for 28 clubs in the league — and the two finalists, Inter Miami and the Vancouver Whitecaps, have long been preparing for the winter as well.
From coaching news to the trade market and potential January transfers, here’s the latest I’m hearing in the world of MLS.
Rapha Wicky among Sporting KC finalists
Sporting KC is down to three finalists for its head-coaching role, and one of the candidates is Rapha Wicky, sources briefed on the situation said.
Wicky most recently coached BSC Young Boys and previously was the coach of the Chicago Fire and the U.S. U-17 national team.
A Swiss international in his playing days, Wicky finished his career in MLS with Chivas USA before returning to Switzerland to begin his coaching career.
Wicky won the Swiss Super League with Young Boys in 2022-23 and the Swiss Cup.
Raphael Wicky is a finalist for the Sporting KC head-coaching job. (Manuel Winterberger / Eurasia Sport Images / Getty Images)
During his time in Chicago, the Fire missed the playoffs by 1 point in the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The Fire let him go during his second year, as the club hadn’t made the playoffs from 2017 to 2024.
Getting another chance in MLS in a better situation is something Wicky hoped for. Whoever gets the Sporting KC job will be at the front of a rebuild, led by new CSO David Lee.
The club has a lot of potential for change this winter, with only 14 players under contract for 2026. There is a foundation there around DPs Dejan Joveljic and Manu Garcia, both signed last winter.
St. Louis finalists
St. Louis City continues to progress through its coaching search, with The Athletic learning several names in the mix for the job.
Those names include Columbus Crew assistant Yoann Damet, former Atlanta United assistant Rob Valentino, former CF Montréal head coach Laurent Courtois, LAFC assistant coach Ante Razov and St. Louis interim head coach David Critchley, sources briefed on the situation tell The Athletic.
The Crew also has a coaching vacancy with Wilfried Nancy leaving for Celtic. Damet will be in the mix for that role, too. The 35-year-old was previously an assistant with FC Cincinnati and had multiple stints as interim head coach.
Valentino also had multiple stints as interim head coach during his time with Atlanta. He was popular and successful in those instances.
Columbus hired Courtois to be the second team head coach when current St. Louis general manager Corey Wray was running that team. The pair also worked together in Montréal.
Razov has been an assistant coach with LAFC since 2018.
Timo Werner to Miami?
Rumors suggesting Timo Werner and Inter Miami are in serious negotiations are wide of the mark, sources briefed on the situation tell The Athletic.
One source went as far as to say Werner isn’t an option for Miami at the moment.
Werner will leave Leipzig in the near future. The club wanted a summer exit, but Werner ultimately couldn’t agree to terms with the New York Red Bulls or other German clubs that expressed interest.
A move to Miami does not appear to be an option for Timo Werner. (Clive Rose / Getty Images)
The Red Bulls have already publicly ruled out signing Werner this winter.
Werner is out of contract this summer. He has played just one minute this season for Leipzig, who told him before preseason he wasn’t in the club’s plans.
Multiple MLS teams call Cincy for Dado Valenzuela
The trade market in MLS is percolating, though sources around the league say it’s heating up more slowly than usual.
One player to watch this month is FC Cincinnati homegrown attacker Dado Valenzuela. Several MLS clubs have already called Cincy about what it might take to acquire the attacker.
Cincy would be open to moving him at the right number, sources say.
Valenzuela, 21, had a promising season with five goals and one assist in 828 regular-season minutes.
Cincy’s attack is built around Evander and Kevin Denkey, both DPs acquired last winter. Valenzuela is a No. 10 like Evander, crowding his pathway to regular minutes.
Cincinnati’s multitude of attacking options, including Kevin Denkey (right), could open up a move for Dado Valenzuela. (Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
Recouping assets for Valenzuela will help with Cincy’s salary-cap situation. Their pile of GAM was depleted last year. Sales help mightily in keeping the core of the group together, with several key TAM-level players on the roster.
The Athletic reported last week that CF Montréal agreed to a deal to acquire center back Brayan Vera from Real Salt Lake for $1.5 million GAM.
More deals will advance over the next week, once the league calendar officially enters the offseason.
Free agency opens next week as well.
Two MLS center backs to watch in January
Two key players to watch in the MLS outbound market are hugely talented young center backs: San Diego FC’s Manu Duah and the Philadelphia Union’s Olwethu Makhanya.
Both have plenty of suitors in Europe, sources briefed on the situation say. Both had Champions League-level clubs come to the United States to scout in person.
If either leaves this winter, it won’t be cheap. Financial packages around the MLS outbound record for center backs are the aim for both.
Adilson Malanda was transferred from Charlotte FC to Middlesbrough for around $8 million. Moise Bombito moved from the Colorado Rapids to OGC Nice for an initial $7.7 million plus add-ons.
San Diego and Philadelphia would love to keep the players for longer if those offers don’t arrive in January, especially with Europe’s summer market being more robust than the winter’s.
Duah, 20, was the first pick at the 2025 MLS SuperDraft. A midfielder in college, Duah transitioned to center back this year, and the move was a smashing success. Duah quickly won a starting spot for San Diego and quickly caught the eyes of scouts.
He would fit best in a possession-based system at his next club, like what Duah excels in for San Diego.
Makhanya, 21, was acquired from Stellenbosch. He assimilated into the club first, though MLS Next Pro last year, before winning a starting role this season and picking up votes for MLS Defender of the Year.
Philly turned down summer transfer offers for Makhanya, sources say.
The South African would fit best in a pressing system, like the one he plays in Philadelphia. His ability to cover ground and win duels in space is a coveted quality.
Red Bulls are ‘close to the finish line’ for head coach
The New York Red Bulls coaching search is nearing an end, sporting director Julian de Guzman told The Athletic.
“We’re close to the finish line or maybe a couple weeks away where I could say, ‘Yeah, we’ve finally got our guy,’ but we’re very close,” de Guzman told The Athletic. “It’s been an intense process, but the way things are looking right now, it’s enjoyable.”
The Athletic reported this week that RBNY II head coach Michael Bradley is the clear front-runner to take over.
Michael Bradley seems ready to become an MLS head coach for the first time. (Andrew Katsampes / ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Though RB’s head of global soccer, Jurgen Klopp, and RB global technical director Mario Gomez have had input, de Guzman has had full control of the process.
“This is something I feel is more important for what New York needs,” de Guzman said. “It’s great to have the voices of Jurgen, Mario to chime in and give their thoughts and ideas. But at the end of the day, we are here in the U.S. We are here in New York, and it’s got to make sense for what Red Bull needs in this league, in this market.”
De Guzman pointed to someone who knows and understands the intricacies and quirks of MLS.
Bradley, 38, began his career with the Red Bulls (then named the Metrostars) before heading to Europe. He spent almost a decade with Toronto FC, helping transform the club from a laughingstock to a perennial contender.
— Melanie Anzidei contributed to this report.
Two potential January signings
Venezuelan international forward Alejandro Marques and left back Pedro Amaral, both with Portuguese side Estoril Praia, are subject to interest from various MLS clubs, sources briefed on the situation say.
They are out of contract this summer.
Estoril is open to a winter sale rather than risk both leaving for free in the summer when their contracts expire.
Marques, 25, previously featured for Juventus U-23s, among others. He had 11 goals in 1,681 league minutes last season but has featured infrequently this year.
Amaral, 28, is a product of Benfica’s academy. He has 38 appearances with Estoril after joining in 2024 and previously featured for Rio FC in Portugal.
