D.C. United pursuing Edison Flores, Wayne Rooney debuts for Derby County, and more: Freedom Kicks for 1/3/2020

I was all set to do a post about players who just left D.C. United doing stuff with their new clubs, but we started getting news about guys that could actually be on the team in 2020, so let’s start there.

Reports: D.C. United close to deal for Morelia midfielder Edison Flores | Black and Red United
Edison Flores is good, people. Given that he’s played both wide and centrally, it’s not 100% clear what United’s plan for him would be, but based on the valuations online, he would definitely be a Designated Player, and very likely a new record transfer.

Does that mean the end for the Brian Lozano rumor? Probably...but never say never!

It is theoretically possible for United to field both Flores and Lozano, but it would require United spending a minimum of somewhere in the range of $16 million, in one transfer window. That seems far-fetched to me, but then so did the Whitecaps putting up 8 figures to sign Lucas Cavallini. The times, they are a-changin’.

D.C. United in talks to acquire Peru’s Edison Flores from Morelia | Washington Post
Steve Goff’s reporting on the Flores rumor is still in present tense when referring to United’s interest in Lozano, so the times may really actually be changing.

Moving on, here’s that nostalgia. First, former United captain Wayne Rooney notched an assist on his Derby County debut in exceedingly familiar fashion:

Titi, otra vez en casa | EstudiantesdeLaPlata.com
And here’s Lucas Rodriguez back training with Estudiantes. Good news: they say he had a “great experience,” so that’s cool. They also say he played 51 games which...I’m not sure how the math works there, but for the record, United played 46 total games in 2019 (34 regular season games, 5 preseason games, 3 in-season friendlies, 2 Open Cup games, 1 playoff game, and 1 postseason friendly).

Anyway, here’s former United attacking midfielder Luciano Acosta, wearing a different black/red kit than we’re used to:

Meanwhile in town, it looks like the Washington Spirit are getting close to completing a move that has been in the works for a few weeks:

Hendrix will have a tough job competing with Sam Staab and Paige Nielsen for time, but at 5’11” she’ll be the tallest player on the team, which is a definite plus for a center back. Richie Burke also recently mentioned the prospect of using a 343 late in games.

2020 MLS SuperDraft: Everything you need to know about the new format and when and how to watch | MLSsoccer.com
The draft is less than a week away, not that you can see it in person. And unless they trade up, United doesn’t pick until #42 overall. But nonetheless, it is happening!

Speaking of happening, so is the first weekend of 2020. Make it a good one.