FC Dallas is into its second week of spring training with a full roster as the club already made multiple acquisitions for 2020. But technically, the primary MLS transfer window doesn’t even open until February 12th, so more moves could come.
But for Los Toros, despite the hints dropped earlier this spring by Coach Luchi Gonzalez, the moves are apparently done for the start of the season… at least according to the club’s Technical Director, Andre Zanotta.
“Right now we feel we’re we have a very strong roster with the pieces that we wanted.,” Zanotta said. “Fafa Picault, we feel he’s gonna help us a lot, playing in different positions. Thiago [Santos], Franco [Jara]… we never know, things may change. But for now, we believe we’re fine.”
Santos is a player that Zanotta says he has been trying to sign for years, going back to his days acquiring players at Gremio. “Gremio even tried to sign him now,” Zanotta chuckled. “I was competing with my ex-club to bring him! Luckily, I could convince him to come.”
“Thiago is just a big fighter and he’s the type of player that we felt we needed in our team after [Carlos] Gruezo left,” Zanotta explained. “His ball recovery is amazing… and like Luchi likes to say, he’s a great human being, he’s a fantastic person.”
“And he’s a winner. He won two leagues in Brazil, he won a cup there, and playing for five years in Palmeiras – who is one of the top teams – and constantly playing in Libertadores. So all that experience, I think, for me, just makes him so valuable to have him here with us.”
Santos isn’t the only big addition Zonatta is counting on. There’s also the club’s newest striker signing, Franco Jara, who is scheduled to arrive in July.
According to Zanotta, FC Dallas is doing everything they can to get Jara to Texas sooner.
“To make it very simple, it’s just finding an agreement with Pachuca. He has a contract with Pachuca until May,” Zanotta explained, adding that Pachucha was well aware of the negotiations and FCD’s signing announcement. “Pachuca is aware of this process and they know their player is leaving after May 31st and he’s a free agent. He could go anywhere.”
“So we’re trying to work with Pachuca on a way to bring him. We have a long transfer window until May 5th. We need to find what – based on what they want and then what we’re willing to pay – and see what kind of agreement we can find.”
Obviously FCD would like to have Jara in the team as soon as possible. “We feel he wants to come and be part of this. Starting with the preseason, the beginning of the season,” Zanotta said.
“But he needs to respect he has a contract there and he’s been a player now with a beautiful history in Pachuca, so if [coming sooner] is not possible, we’ll have him here in July.”
So is FCD really done adding pieces for 2020? It certainly sounds like it. But soccer rosters are under constant stress and change frequently.
“It’s tough to say ‘no we’re not bringing anyone else’,” Zanotta concluded. “Cause then maybe tomorrow we gather the schedule and maybe we need something. But as for now, we believe we have a very good roster.”
MLS 2020 Transfer Windows
- Primary Transfer Window: Wed., February 12 – Tues., May 5, 2020
- Secondary Transfer Window: Tues., July 7 – Wed., Aug. 5, 2020
Both Jara and Thiago have been pushed for a long time? Are the FCD decision makers open and searching or do do they bog down on a Jara and not move on because that’s the guy? The long time theme concerns me. If you ID a need you should act not wait it out.
That’s a very real concern.