ΒΕΤΤΙΝG NEWSLETTERS: Kick Off: Seattle Sounders planning for CONCACAF Champions League

Kick Off: Seattle Sounders planning for CONCACAF Champions League | Gilberto departs Toronto FC

Here are the top 15 stories everyone's talking about this morning:

1. SOUNDERS SCHEDULE

The Seattle Sounders battled it out to a 1-1 draw against Minnesota United on Thursday, and the Sounders later announced another friendly, this time against Club Tijuana on March 24, as they prepare for their return to the CONCACAF Champions League.

2. GILBERTO OUT OF LIMBO

For the second straight offseason Toronto FC have faced a rare problem: Too many Designated Players on their roster, leaving Brazilian striker Gilberto the odd man out. On Friday morning his situation was finally resolved as the Reds officially announced a loan deal with Vasco da Gama, a top club in his homeland.

3. FROM THE GROUND UP

Garth Lagerwey was synonymous with building the identity of Real Salt Lake and the Sounders' new general manager aims to combine the best elements from his old club with those of his new one, allowing him to work on something altogether different. The other name instantly associated with the building of RSL is Jason Kreis, who's now building the New York City FC franchise from the ground up.

4. BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

Their new stadium hasn't even been built yet but, as plans for the venue start to come together, D.C. United are already envisioning a time when they might need to expand their new home. Perhaps when that day comes, the team will feature a number of Homegrown Players from their just-announced residential academy program?

5. NEW STAR FOR FC DALLAS

FC Dallas love their Colombian wingers. On Friday they signed another one making a move for 23-year-old Colombian striker Michael Barrios, who last played for Uniautonoma FC.

6. 12K AND GROWING

Things continue to come together nicely for Orlando City as the club revealed on Thursday that they have now passed 12,000 season tickets sold for their inaugural MLS campaign. The club also already has a youth development structure in place that rivals that of most other clubs.

7. TRUST IN THE KIDS

The Vancouver Whitecaps Jordan Harvey might want to watch out as, in the nicest way possible, Sam Adekugbe is gunning for the defender's job. It seems that the 'Caps younger players will certainly get their chances this season while, on the other end of that scale, veteran Mauro Rosales offered his thoughts on the upcoming season.

8. AGUDELO ON HIS RETURN

"I just felt so comfortable, both on and off the field, when I was with the Revs." That was Juan Agudelo talking about his previous stint with the New England Revolution. Now that the striker has returned to his old MLS team, they could well be the most dangerous side in the league.

9. ALEXANDER OWES A LOT TO PETKE

Eric Alexander was arguably one of the New York Red Bulls' best players over the last two years. Although the midfielder found himself shipped out to the Montreal Impact shortly after Mike Petke was fired, Alexander credits his former coach for giving him a chance to prove himself.

10. TIMBERS 2 ADD SIX

The Portland Timbers 2 have added the first six players to their roster for the upcoming season and the initial selections perhaps give a good indication of the team's goal for the year ahead.

11. HOWARD SETS A RECORD

It was a great night for Tim Howard on Thursday, as Everton's 4-1 Europa League victory over Swiss side Young Boys presented the goalkeeper with the record for most wins by a US player in UEFA competitions. Meanwhile another American Export, Howard's former USMNT mate Jonathan Bornstein, is looking to bounce back after a difficult few months.

12. DWYER'S NEXT TARGET

Having just married US women's national team star Sydney Leroux, it's fair to say a lot of the attention on Dom Dwyer recently hasn't been based on his soccer abilities. However, one of Dwyer's next goals is attaining his US citizenship and working towards a national team call-up.

13. MINING THE DEPTHS

While it might feel like Jurgen Klinsmann has already run the well dry, there are in fact lots more dual national soccer players out there who could be eligible to play for the US. With that in mind, which ones are most likely to earn a call up to the US national team?

14. CANADA SETS DATES

The Canadian national team has officially announced international friendlies against Guatemala and Puerto Rico set to take place on the 27th and 30th of March, respectively.

15. AWARD WINNING SUPPORTERS

While the Philadelphia Union continue their quest for a first trophy, their supporters have picked up an accolade of their own: A film about supporters group "The Sons of Ben" recently won the grand prize at the Tokyo International Film Festival. How did the movie end up in the competition, and why did it do so well?

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