Red Bulls Paper Revue: July 4, 2022

Welcome to the New York Red Bulls Paper Revue presented by Once a Metro.

Who did The Fonz vote for in the last election?

Nobody because he’s ayyy-political.

Here’s this week’s top story.

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By now, you’ve probably seen the Dylan Vente rumor reported by ZO-NWS. The 23-year-old Roda JC attacker would be an interesting addition after enjoying a breakout season in the Eerste Divisie of the Netherlands. Seems like an interesting player who might add a thing or two to the Red Bulls.

What I do know from a little light research is that Roda deploys a pressing style, which means Vente should at least be mildly familiar with the tactics and physical demands. Another speculative tidbit is that he may have been added to the scouting database by former Head of Scouting Paul Fernie, who recently brought another player to Wehen Wiesbaden from the same club. Of course, 25 goals and seven assists would put a striker on any and all radars, so maybe not. Isn’t the transfer market exciting?

For something more substantive, I suppose we could look at this interview with ELF Voetbal, in which Vente discusses his stop-start journey through the Netherlands from highly-rated youth prospect to remarkable second-division striker. “My first year at Feyenoord I played quite a few matches and my statistics were pretty good, but then I got Robin van Persie and Nicolai Jörgensen in front of me,” he reasonably argued. “It was not an option to let me rent out for Feyenoord and then you stand still in your development, although you can learn from those players in training sessions. Then you gradually become a bit desperate.”

Vente selected Roda because of “the coaching staff and [his] teammates.” The move appeared to work quite well, with the striker back on an upward trajectory. Could the Red Bulls be once again attempting to catch a once-heralded hot prospect off the bounce à la Dru Yearwood, Frankie Amaya, and Lewis Morgan? That is, if the club is able to beat out Norway’s Valerenga (interest described by Voetbalprimeur as “a storm in a teacup”) and surely a host of other suitors.

If there is anything going down, Vente appears to not be engaging in press-delighting antics of forcing a move by sitting out training camp. He was in the starting line-up for Roda’s weekend friendly against Anderlecht. De Koempels (Miners) lost to the Belgians, 6-0.

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While we’re on the topic, let’s wrap up some old transfer rumors.

Charles Aránguiz (linked to New York in May by Torcedores) is back in camp with Bayer Leverkusen and completed his first training session despite experiencing “problems with the return flight from South America.” The club wants the 33-year-old midfielder to stay despite rumors of a move, including his stated intention to sign with Brazil’s Internacional. His contract lasts through June of 2023, but the manager would be open to “a good solution for all parties,” none of which appear to include the Red Bulls.

In that same vein, Dominik Baumgartner (March but actually winter transfer window, Krone) is about to join Sturm Graz. “Talks are underway” as the transfer will be completed “soon.” The 25-year-old center back is also under contract through summer of 2023, but nobody seems to mind. If he is unable to sign, “there are other candidates,” which seems to be a Zen cosmic mindset for the day-to-day grind of the market.

Of course, there was also Conrado Buchanelli Holz (April, Interia). The Brazilian winger is deep in preparation with Polish outfit Gdańsk in advance of the upcoming Europa Conference League qualifiers. He played in a scrimmage against Radomiak Radom, whose are referred to by their rivals as “Ra-dumb-iak Ra-dumb.” [Probably not true.]

Anyway, that’s that. There will be more transfer rumors, I assume. Maybe there won’t be.

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Stuttgart’s kit manager, Michael Meusch, celebrated his 60th birthday in Winterbach with “over 100 guests” according to Bild. Among the revelers was none other than Jochen Schneider. The Red Bulls sporting director gifted “a trip to New York,” with the birthday boy having never been to the United States.

In Scotland, the position is referred to as a “kilt manager.”

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Who doesn’t love a good highlight video? Here’s one of Dru Yearwood produced by YouTube creator rom7ooo, who has over one million subscribers. The English midfielder is described as “like [N’Golo] Kanté on steroids.”

Speaking of Yearwood, he has played a mere 45 minutes over the past five matches. After such a strong start to the season, the 22-year-old appears to have once again taken a back seat. We can talk about this later.

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Breiðablik had two Besta-deild karla matches last week. The first was a 3-2 victory over Íþróttabandalag Akraness, the second a scoreless draw against Íþróttabandalag Vestmannaeyja. Omar Sowe entered both matches as a substitute and provided an assist on the match-winning goal, “coming in from the right, feinting, and speeding past an off-balance defender.”

Next on the schedule is the first qualifying round of the Europa Conference League, with Breiðablik traveling to Andorra to take on Unió Esportiva Santa Coloma.

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Jhilmar Lora has once again been connected with a move to Major League Soccer. The 21-year-old Peruvian fullback was linked stateside last summer, but his current contract lasts through December of 2023. Now, Sporting Cristal president Joel Raffo claims that he will likely be on the way out, with “many inquiries from Mexico, [the United States], and Europe.” There has reportedly also been an approach from domestic rivals Alianza Lima.

Look, there’s nothing connecting Lora to the Red Bulls other than he appears to be a tactical fit. While Red Bull Brasil and Red Bull Bragantino have scouted Sporting Cristal in the past, South America isn’t exactly Mars. Keep this player in the back of your mind, but only if you have some space back there.

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Andreas Ivan is looking forward to the next season, and who isn’t? The German-Romanian attacker signed for recently-promoted Schalke’s reserve side, with an eye on first-team minutes. The club scouted him after a torrid two goals and two assists in two Regionalliga West fixtures against Die Königsblauen (The Royal Blues).

“Then the coach came to me after the return match and asked me what I was looking for in this championship,” Ivan told Romanian outlet Sport.ro. “Two days later, Schalke contacted my manager; they were very interested. Then I was invited and I had a long, intense, and very positive conversation with coach Jakob Fimpel, and so I went to Die Königsblauen.”

Ivan is “focused” on the reserves, but would consider playing for the first team “an honor” and “a great pleasure.” The 27-year-old is talented, no denying that. For some reason, things never came together for him during his year-and-change tenure with the Red Bulls.

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Esbjerg may be headed down to the third tier of Danish soccer, but at least one player appears to be staying put. Mathias Jørgensen featured in the club’s first friendly of the summer, a 1-1 draw with top-division side SønderjyskE. He, uh, didn’t score but came very close several times, which is nice.

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Barcelona B has a new coach and it’s… Rafa Márquez?

The former Red Bulls Designated Player is set to be announced as the replacement for Sergi Barjuán. As a player, he spent seven years with the La Liga giants, winning a lot of silverware. Whether Márquez is able to work with and aid in the development of players below his level remains to be seen.

The former Mexican international was originally supposed to take over the U-19 team last summer. However, his presence on a U.S. Treasury Department list reportedly could have prevented Barcelona from engaging in commercial activity stateside. Now that Márquez is legally in the clear, an even better job has landed on his doorstep, like being promoted before even showing up to work à la Cooper in EuroTrip.

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Huh? What? Who? Me?

Amir Murillo may be linked with a move away from Anderlecht, but the Panamanian fullback is playing coy. He’s never even heard of Valencia. I’d tell you to just ask him, but reporter David Samudio already did.

“The truth is, I don’t know anything about it,” Murillo shared on WhatsApp. “It’s [a] pure invention. I’m in Panama. I’m leaving on Tuesday, thanks. I don’t even know what they’re talking about in the press.”

The Red Bulls will have to wait a little longer for the sell-on clause to activate. Continue eating the nuts and saving the raisins for a Sunday that may never come. Maybe Murillo spends the rest of his career in Belgium, refusing to read a newspaper or look at social media.

Here’s a joke that was submitted by Arie of Vineland.

“They should call it WhosApp or WhoseApp because you’re talking to people and not things.”

Thank you, Arie. That’s a good point.

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