ΒΕΤΤΙΝG NEWSLETTERS: Kick Off: Get ready for Heineken Rivalry Week

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Kick Off: Get ready for Heineken Rivalry Week | Player rumor mill churning

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

Grudge Matches

It's Heineken Rivalry Week in MLS, with five big bragging rights clashes on the slate this coming weekend. Which rivalry is the best in the league? Alexi Lalas' answer will probably surprise you.

Honor Rolls

The victorious trio of D.C. United, New York City FC and Vancouver each placed two players on our Team of the Week. However, when it came to the top MLS Fantasy Manager performers for the last round, the Whitecaps dominated.

Light The Lampard?

Fox Sports' Julie Stewart-Binks reports that Frank Lampard could finally make his season debut in one of the two matches New York City FC will play this week, including a tasty midweek match at Toronto FC (7 pm ET, TSN4 in Canada and MLS LIVE in USA).

Short Memories

Speaking of Toronto, on the heels of a wild home loss to Vancouver, the Toronto FC clubhouse is in unison as saying one bad game shouldn't harm their season.

Portlandia Cast

MLS Cup holders Portland have added versatile veteran Amobi Okugo to the squad. Of course, that won't help them in net, where injured starter Adam Kwarasey is still several weeks from returning.

Nearly There

Recovering D.C. United 'keeper Bill Hamid is back in training and says he's almost ready to make his return to action.

New Blood

FC Dallas have made a free agent signing, landing young Argentine defender Agustin Jara.

Market Talk

The agent for Feyenoord star Dirk Kuyt says a "big MLS club" is in for his free agent client. Elsewhere, word has it that Celtic's Honduras fullback Emilio Izaguirre is set to visit Toronto FC to weigh a transfer to the Reds. Over in Belgium, a report has Kortrijk's South Africa netminder Darren Keet interested in an MLS move. Finally, a report out of Africa claims Columbus are in talks with Tunisia striker Idriss Mhirsi, who plays for the former club of Crew SC defender Harrison Afful.

USMNT Roster News

Due to a weekend hamstring setback, it looks likely that Jozy Altidore will miss Copa America. Meanwhile, US boss Jurgen Klinsmann has summoned 22 foreign-based players for next week's Puerto Rico friendly.

Call List

Five MLS players have made Costa Rica's final squad for Copa America. Elsewhere, Chelsea's Canada Under-20 defender Fiyako Tomori has received an England U-19's call-up.

A Wanted Man

A UK report claims AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Celtic are among those chasing impending Fulham free agent Emerson Hyndman.

Villa's Voice

According to NYCFC star David Villa, Portland have the best stadium atmosphere in America.

A Good Cause

For those who missed it, you can watch Steve Zakuani's weekend charity match (which featured the likes of Landon Donovan and Oguchi Onyewu) in its entirety. Because of that, we won't give away who Donovan nutmegged during the contest in this space.