Brotherly Game Daily Links: USMNT star Tim Weah almost joined the Union Academy

Philadelphia Union News

United States forward Tim Weah says he almost joined Philadelphia Union academy
“Philly has a great academy,” Weah, 21, said. ”I was going to go to Philly at one point, I’m not gonna lie, before I came to Europe. We came out to visit the Union and I was going to come to the club. The way they run their academy and the way they have that residency program is amazing.”

MLS News

Minnesota United makes Ozzie Alonso signing official
Alonso played 37 games in two seasons after the Loons acquired him from Seattle before the 2019 season. Last year, in a season interrupted by injury, he started 15 of 17 games in all competitions.

Added depth alleviates some of the issues in the Whitecaps midfield
While the elusive Designated Player No. 10 is still yet to be found, the Caps appear to have added another quality player in Botafogo’s Caio Alexandre. The 22-year-old No. 6/8, despite playing for a team destined for relegation from the Brazilian Serie A, is one of the most well-regarded young players in the league.

Former Toronto FC DP Pablo Piatti returns to La Liga
Piatti officially returned to La Liga, signing with Elche CF. The Spanish side finds themselves in the midst of a relegation battle, sitting in 18th out of 20 teams, although they are one point away 17th, aka safety from relegation.

Orlando City SC Unveils 2021 Thick N Thin Home Kit
The Thick N Thin kit features dark and light shades of purple that separate the top and bottom halves of the jersey, referencing the old and the new, while the thick and thin lines mark transition and celebrate the unconditional loyalty of those who don it.

U.S. Soccer News

Projecting the final USMNT Olympic qualifying squad and starting XI
The final 20-man roster for the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team’s Olympic qualifying campaign is set to be decided next week, and Jason Kreis still has some tough decisions to make as he puts his squad through the motions in camp this week.

Rest of the World News

CONMEBOL suspends March World Cup qualifiers after clubs’ refusal to release players
The 10 South American teams were due to play two games on March 25-26 and March 30, but CONMEBOL acknowledged tightening lockdown and quarantine regulations mean many of the European-based players will be unable to travel.

Barcelona elect Laporta as president for second time in club history
Laporta, 58, takes over at a critical moment in the club’s history. Gross debt has risen to €1.2 billion during the coronavirus pandemic, with players forced to accept pay cuts, while star player Messi is out of contract in June and will walk away for free if new terms cannot be agreed.