Sam Stejskal
The Athletic HQ
Boston, MA, United States
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Past articles by Sam:
Christian Pulisic took center stage when the USMNT needed him most
Pulisic overcame recent frustrations to put in his best-ever performance for the USMNT and deliver a big win against Panama → Read More
Gold Cup: USMNT, Mexico to meet in final
The U.S. will now face the winner of the Canada-Mexico semifinal, also being played on Thursday night, in the final in Las Vegas on Sunday. → Read More
Bruce Arena on the Revolution’s turnaround, MLS scheduling and why the U.S. continues to struggle – The Athletic
One of U.S. soccer's most outspoken figures sits for a wide-ranging and unfiltered chat → Read More
Longtime friends Bruce Arena, Julian Edelman are now neighbors at Gillette – The Athletic
The Patriots wideout and Revolution head coach may seem like an odd couple, but their friendship goes back years → Read More
MLS club execs: Fixing major markets more important than expansion – The Athletic
'The biggest expansion projects for the league aren’t in Miami or Nashville—they’re in places like Dallas and Chicago' → Read More
Stejskal: FC Dallas' Pomykal on the road to greatness, but it's a long one
Before the hype train careens completely out of control, before we carelessly cross the line between deserved praise and unreasonable expectations, let’s start with some facts. Facts: FC Dallas midfielder Paxton Pomykal is 19. He’s just taking his first steps as a pro. Though he signed a → Read More
Stejskal: How MLS rules shaped the Chicago Fire's pursuit of Nico Gaitan
After years of trying to acquire a game-changing playmaker, the Chicago Fire finally landed their man. The Fire announced on Thursday that they signed Argentine midfielder Nicolas Gaitan on a free transfer from Chinese Super League club Dalian Yifang, bringing a happy end to the club’s lengthy, → Read More
Stejskal: Why it's time to change how we think about Designated Players
It’s time to change the way we think about Designated Players. Since the classification was established back in 2007, we’ve used the number of DPs teams have on their roster as a quick, superficial way to measure how much they spend. That approach has always lacked nuance. Since Targeted → Read More
Stejskal: Portland finalizing loan for River Plate right back Jorge Moreira
The Portland Timbers are finalizing a deal to acquire Paraguayan right back Jorge Moreira on a season-long loan from Argentine club River Plate, sources told MLSsoccer.com on Friday. The sources said that the Timbers will use Targeted Allocation Money to complete the deal and that the club will have → Read More
Stejskal: A new force out West? Dynamo feel more balanced after tough 2018
The Houston Dynamo don’t have the star power, deep pockets or the same levels of recent success as the four other MLS teams preparing for the start of the Concacaf Champions League, but they do have the top-end talent to make some serious noise in the competition and in league action this year. → Read More
Stejskal: Toronto FC pursuing Spanish attacker Alejandro Pozuelo
Toronto FC are interested in acquiring Spanish attacking midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo from Belgian club Genk, sources told MLSsoccer.com on Friday. If acquired, Pozuelo would replace Sebastian Giovinco, who left the club to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal last month, as the club’s third → Read More
Stejskal: Contract details on new Real Salt Lake signing Samuel Johnson
Real Salt Lake have some flexibility with their newest Designated Player. RSL announced on Monday that they signed Liberian forward Sam Johnson to a DP deal. His signing gives Salt Lake the league maximum of three Designated Players on their roster, though sources told MLSsoccer.com on Thursday that → Read More
Stejskal: Overpay or on the money? Why Minnesota spent on Ike Opara
Minnesota United made yet another big addition in the back on Monday night, acquiring center back Ike Opara from Sporting Kansas City in exchange for $900,000 in Targeted Allocation Money. I was enjoying a few blissful minutes away from the internet when the deal was announced and only found out → Read More
Stejskal: Colorado decline $3 million bid for Kellyn Acosta
The Colorado Rapids recently turned down a $3 million transfer offer from an English Championship club for US national team midfielder Kellyn Acosta, according to sources. American Soccer Now’s Brian Sciaretta reported on Wednesday that the Rapids turned down a “significant bid” for Acosta → Read More
Stejskal: Vancouver making moves, but still plenty of work left to do
After a couple of quiet months, the Vancouver Whitecaps once more began filling out their roster this week with the acquisitions of defensive midfielder Jon Erice from Spanish second-division club Albacete, winger Lass Bangoura from La Liga side Rayo Vallecano and attacker Lucas Venuto from Austrian → Read More
Stejskal: Atlanta's options for getting down to three Designated Players
You got me, Darren Eales. I feel a DP announcement coming... 👀#5StripesDontStop — Darren Eales (@DEalesATLUTD) January 15, 2019 I saw that tweet from the Atlanta United president and expected to see a Pity Martinez press release in my inbox. Instead, we got a different sort of DP announcement → Read More
Stejskal: Colorado Rapids agree to deal with free agent Benny Feilhaber
CHICAGO – The Colorado Rapids and free agent midfielder Benny Feilhaber have agreed to a deal, sources told MLSsoccer.com on Thursday. The sources said that the deal is guaranteed for one season with the Rapids holding an option for the 2020 campaign. Feilhaber will make just under the maximum → Read More
Stejskal: NYCFC finalizing loan deal to nab Keaton Parks from Benfica
ORLANDO – New York City FC are finalizing a deal to acquire American central midfielder Keaton Parks on loan from Benfica, sources told MLSsoccer.com on Monday. Parks, 21, has played in Portugal since the summer of 2015, when he joined second-division side Varzim. The Plano, Texas native moved to → Read More
Stejskal: Minnesota United emerge as leaders for free agent Ozzie Alonso
ORLANDO -- Minnesota United have emerged as the frontrunners to sign free agent midfielder Ozzie Alonso, sources have told MLSsoccer.com. The sources said that the Loons have come in over the top of FC Cincinnati’s two-year offer for Alonso, which was first reported by MLSsoccer.com last week. → Read More
Stejskal: FC Dallas complete transfer of Chris Richards to Bayern Munich
FC Dallas have completed the sale of US youth international center back Chris Richards to Bayern Munich, a source confirmed to MLSsoccer.com on Saturday. The source said that Bayern will pay Dallas a transfer fee in the low seven-figure range for Richards. FCD will also receive a cut of a future → Read More