After spending a year in Germany playing for FC Ingolstadt of the German 2. Bundesliga, United States striker Edson Buddle is returning to the Galaxy after signing a free transfer.

The Galaxy garnered suspicion early Wednesday when they posted a picture of a blank #14 jersey on their official Twitter account, asking fans whose name they would like to see on the jersey.

It has been a scrappy season for defending Premier League champions Manchester United but in dealing with a plethora of injuries, the club has certainly benefited from the consistency of Michael Carrick, which has not gone unnoticed.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has backed the 30-year old midfielder to continue his terrific run even as the Red Devils prepare to welcome returning playmakers Ashley Young and Tom Cleverley.

As expected Gary Cahill has completed his £7 million move to Chelsea from Bolton Wanderers, apparently being given a contract worth £23 million.
In another quite interesting piece of speculation, Tottenham Manager Harry Redknapp has denied that the club are willing to swap Luka Modric for Fernando Torres at Chelsea.

A former trialist, a former Uruguay World Cup national team player and a Generation Adidas #1 pick headline the strongest positional set of Seattle Sounder FC. Sigi uses these men to be the playmakers on the outside, each in their own way. Two are used to chase long balls, only one is a traditional crosser and all tuck into take shots.

And then there were six.

North Carolina playmaker Enzo Martinez signed has signed a Generation adidas contract, becoming the sixth member of the 2012 Generation adidas class, but teammate Billy Schuler passed on the final MLS offer, and ultimately signed with Hammarby.

Schuler's decision to bolt for Europe has opened the door for MLS to expand the class, with the league extending Generation adidas offers to Creighton fullback Tyler Polak, South Florida striker Dom Dwyer and UConn centerback Andrew Jean-Baptiste.

Sigi Schmid refers to his central midfielders as the engine room. Whether these players are glamorous playmakers, defensive stalwarts or a box-to-box man who gets ignored or pilloried by fans these are players who make or break seasons. For Seattle Sounders FC the center includes a player who many will claim is their best, the Honey Badger.

Featured image: Paul Rudderow

Editor's note: At the end of the 2010 season, we posted a series of season reviews of every Philadelphia Union player. Over the next several weeks PSP continues with a review of the 2011 season.

A striker can go missing for long stretches, only to pop up and score with a single touch.

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

With the 2012 MLS Draft now less than a month away, I have unveiled my first Fox Soccer 2012 MLS Mock Draft in an attempt to give people a sense of how things just might shake out when teams start making their selections in Kansas City four weeks from now.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

By ADAM SERRANO

These days, Kelyn Rowe and Enzo Martinez have a great deal in common.

Both are playmakers for their teams with field vision that has pro scouts raving, and both are candidates for Generation adidas deals following this NCAA season.

The Miami Ultras invite everyone to watch the Major League Soccer Playoffs featuring the genuine MLS Cup trophy!
Our special guest will be one of Major League Soccer's best playmakers of all time, LA Galaxy and Salvadorian national team legend Mauricio Cienfuegos.
Come by Mickey Byrne's Irish Pub & Restaurant http://www.

Changing Future Roles In Response To The Silva Footballing Age - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

If there was a certain area in which Manchester City beat Manchester United so assuredly last weekend, in one of the massive premier league results of recent times, it was the wings.

Where Ashley Young and Nani played the typical winger role, taking on Manchester City's fullbacks, trying to win those one on one battles, Manchester City's wingers, James Milner and David Silva, made a point of winning the game elsewhere certainly their involvement in the vital goals that pushed the Sky Blues clear of United was a mastery of movement rather then setting out to burn fullbacks.

After each match the contributors to New England Soccer Today will rate the performances of the New England Revolution players who made an appearance on a 1 to 10 scale (1 horrendous, 5 average, 10 perfection). This week Sean Donahue and Brian O'Connell contributed ratings for the New England Revolution's 2-2 draw with Toronto FC.

Liverpool Chase Kagawa

Liverpool are set to battle it out with clubs around Europe for the signature of Borussia Dortmund star Shinji Kagawa, according to talkSPORT. The Japanese youngster has earned a reputation as one of the most exciting playmakers in Europe this has resulted in many top clubs declaring their interest in the Japanese star.

With the possible absence of both teams' playmakers, the personnel and tactics chosen by coaches Sigi Schmid and Frank Klopas are particularly important factors for the U.S. Open Cup final (10 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer.)
Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America reports on the coaches and teams that will be on display in tonight's US Open Cup Final.

Time: 7:30pm ET

Location: PPL Park, Chester, PA

TV: Comcast Network

To say Portland has been a mercurial team would be an understatement.

This is a team that can give up a two goal lead at home against Toronto, follow it up with a 3-0 thrashing of LA, then go to lowly San Jose and eke out a 1-1 draw.

It's official two time FIFA World Player of the Year, seemingly consigned to football's has-been pile after five years at the Camp Nou theatre, announed his return to the big time in the rather less inspiring surroundings of Fulham's Craven Cottage. Granted, the opposition was Ghana, not one of football's big hitters, and granted they were down to ten men, but the touches and vision of the former master were there to see.

By David Chalmers, writing from Clackmannanshire, Scotland

With the hype surrounding ‘Deadline Day' dying down, I thought I'd draw up a list of the smartest transfer deals ever made. Though subjective, this is based mostly on players that cost very little money who turned into major stars for their club.

By Alan Duffy

Like Gulliver in Lilliput, 6'6″ German giant Per Mertesacker towers above Arsene Wenger's collection of pint-sized playmakers, including the diminutive Russian Andrei Arshavin.

Arsenal fans wanted height, and lo and behold, the French tactician gave them height.

By Alan Duffy

Like Gulliver in Lilliput, 6'6″ German giant Per Mertesacker towers above Arsene Wenger's collection of pint-sized playmakers, including the diminutive Russian Andrei Arshavin.

Arsenal fans wanted height, and lo and behold, the French tactician gave them height.

Arsenal's newest striker Chu Young Park has described his move to the Emirates as a dream come true but he acknowledges the challenge that comes with playing for a top Premier League club.

In his first interview at the Gunners' official website, the former Monaco striker vowed to give his all to win the support of the frustrated Arsenal faithful.

By Chris Wright

Welcome, one and all, to Pies' regular Friday afternoon video tribute to the true footballing deities that have graced this hallowed sport down through the years, this week one of the most effortless, silky and demure playmakers of the modern era: Denmark's own Michael Laudrup.

Despite being written off across the global football media, Arsenal players continue to believe that this might just be the season they end their six-year trophy drought as long as they make it a point to defend together.

The Gunners started their Premier League campaign with a disappointing goalless draw away to Newcastle but manager Arsene Wenger immediately highlighted that a clean sheet away from home has to be lauded.

Tomorrow is the first day of the traditional Emirates Cup, a two-day pre-season tournament held in London, featuring Arsenal and three fairly big sides. This year we'll play Boca Juniors and Thierry Henry's Red Bull New York; Paris St. Germain will also take part.

(Be sure to also read Homey's transfer/news round-up)

Who designed this cartoon?

Luka Modric is rumoured to have submitted a second written transfer request to Tottenham.
My feeling on the situation is that the player signed a contract for Tottenham and thus agreed to fulfull his end of that contract, which obliges him to play for Tottenham for the duration of that contract.

Bruna Completes Blackpool Move

Gerardo Bruna today completed his move from Liverpool to Blackpool, both clubs have confirmed. The 20-year-old has penned a two-year deal at Bloomfield Road and will link up with his new team mates for pre-season training this week. We brought you this news last week when it was also reported that the Seasiders were tracking Tom Ince, but a deal is yet to be agreed for the latter with Liverpool only thought to be willing to loan him out at this stage.

Ruiz – Confession of a FANatic | Union Dues
So some Spanish language media reports that Carlos Ruiz was in Mexico. Now it is certainly no secret that I have very publicly not been a fan of the Guatemalan. So when I was reading the story something inside started to stir. My reaction to the news surprised me.

Following last week's blockbuster announcement that sent one of the best playmakers in MLS history to D.C. United, things have been interesting at RFK Stadium over the past seven days. It was tough to say goodbye to a quality player and teammate in Dax McCarty, but as Ben Olsen put it, "you have to give up something of quality to get something good in return.

"There isn't anyone to help you. Only me. And I'm the Beast... . Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill! ... You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you? Close, close, close! I'm the reason why it's no go? Why things are the way they are?"

Transfer sagas run wild.

**This weekend's guest post comes from Chris, who's been with us a long time in the comments section as Galahad Threepwood. He tackles questions of blind faith, looking at why being able to ask questions is a key part of supporting any manager, no matter how much you might like and trust him.

With some haste, a majority of Liverpool supporters will tell you what their side require this transfer window: a centre-back, a left-back, a striker and some natural width. Far from that list would be another central midfielder.
Few loyal to the Merseysiders would dare question Kenny Dalglish but it would be fair to say there have been slight whimpers of uncertainty following the Jordan Henderson signing.

"I think they're still around, but they're not given a chance. Tactics have changed to 4-4-2 now and it's all about running around and launching into tackles. Even when you've got someone who's a good soccer player, can slow things down, scores goals and can prove decisive, if he doesn't scrap for every ball and slide into tackles then he gets dropped.

Potential departures of Lille's main playmakers - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Winning the French championship brought jubilation to the streets of Lille. Red and white flags were woven on May 22nd with the double mark emblazoned on them after Lille OSC clinched their first league title since 1954 with a 2-2 draw against Paris St.

By DAVID MOSSE

Ronaldinho will be forced to watch another international tournament from his living room this summer, as the former World Player of the Year failed to earn a spot in Brazil's preliminary squad for the Copa America. But Mano Menezes has left the door open for a future recall, and Ronaldinho has a great platform to show off his skills.

I meant to get around to talking about this yesterday but failed to find the time to. Its starting to be summer here in Dallas, which means time to enjoy cooking out for dinner in the evenings. Anyways, I wrote a little story yesterday over at SBnation about two USMNT players, Herculez Gomez and DaMarcus Beasley, on how they're moving to or around Mexico this summer.

Serie A Weekly readers will be able to choose their own Team of the Year, voting for players nominated by the writing and editing team. The team will line up 4-3-1-2, the most common used formation in Serie A in recent times. Next up for your selection are the playmakers, the trequartisti, so read on as our writers give you their choice and tell you why.

Serie A Weekly readers will be able to choose their own Team of the Year, voting for players nominated by the writing and editing team. The team will line up 4-3-1-2, the most common used formation in Serie A in recent times. Next up for your selection are the playmakers, the trequartisti, so read on as our writers give you their choice and tell you why.

I found myself wondering this morning about what might next remove David Beckham from an MLS match? A trip back to the old stomping grounds just to stare at that statue of Sir Matt Busby outside fabled Old Trafford, perhaps? A chance to put his arm around old mate Ryan Giggs, who's having some personal issues keeping his name out of the news?

Welcome to The Fixture List, your weekly dose of wildly inaccurate schedule predictions from yours truly. Before that, though, let's take a quick look at last week's efforts. Incorrect results are in red, blue indicates a correct result and green highlights exact scorelines. Actual results in brackets:
Philadelphia Union 0-1 Chicago Fire (1-2)
Houston Dynamo 2-1 New York Red Bulls (2-2)
Chivas USA 0-2 LA Galaxy (0-1)
Seattle Sounders 2-1 Sporting KC (1-0)
San Jose Earthquakes 2-0 New England Revolution (2-1)
Portland Timbers 1-2 Columbus Crew (1-0)
FC Dallas 0-0 Real Salt Lake (0-0)
Colorado Rapids 2-1 Toronto FC (0-0)
Not a bad week, if I do say so myself.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Nuri Sahin is set to make a decision on his future at the end of the week.
The Turkish international has been linked with a number of clubs across Europe, with his current deal in Germany set to run out at the end of next season.
Real Madrid are thought to be one of the leading clubs taking an interest in the 22-year-old, who made his senior debut in 2005 and has only spent a season away from the Signal Iduna Park on loan at Feyenoord.

By ALAN LEDBETTER

This past fantasy week was filled with star players coming back strong from nagging injuries, and others getting injuries that will keep them out for quite a long time.

Thierry Henry proved all doubters wrong again this week by scoring two goals and notching an assist in an away game vs.