Nashville FC announced on Monday that they have reached an extension agreement with USMNT center back Walker Zimmerman. According to the club, this new deal will keep Zimmerman with the organization through 2023. 

While the financial terms of the deal haven’t been made public, Nashville revealed that they completed the extension by using Target Allocation Money (TAM). Also, the club now holds an option to add another year to Zimmerman’s contract and keep him under control through 2024.

“We acquired Walker knowing that he is one of, if not the top, center backs in Major League Soccer and the US men’s national team pool,” said Nashville general manager Mike Jacobs. “He is an important piece of our club’s present and future, and we wanted to commit ourselves to him to demonstrate that.”

Zimmerman joined Nashville from LAFC in February after the MLS Best XI campaign in 2019. Nashville had to part way with $1.25 million in General Allocation Money (GAM) and a 2020 international roster spot in exchange for the 27-year-old’s services.

So far, Zimmerman made two appearances with Nashville and scored one goal, which was the team’s first in MLS.

”I couldn’t be more excited to represent Nashville SC, on and off the pitch, for the next few years,” said Zimmerman after inking the deal. ”Nashville has shown that it embraces their sports teams with an unrivaled passion. We witnessed that firsthand at our inaugural game in February. My hope is to bring trophies to the city, and our fans, for years to come.”

Walker Zimmerman spent the majority of his professional career with FC Dallas, making 110 appearances in all competition between 2013 and 2017. He also has 12 appearances for the United States on an international level.

The post Nashville Agrees to Extension With U.S. CB Walker Zimmerman appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Nashville SC made another addition to their squad as the club prepares for their inaugural MLS season in 2020. After previously singing the likes of Anibal Godoy, David Accam, and Hany Mukhtar, Nashville now reportedly also secured the services of Costa Rica midfielder Randall Leal.

Leal comes to MLS after spending the previous year with Costa Rican side Saprissa. He made a total of 38 appearances with the club since arriving in August 2018 and managed to score six goals.

According to ESPN, Leal signed a deal with Nashville with the 22-year-old’s salary being above the Young Designated Player threshold. It is expected that the club officially confirms their newest acquisition in coming days.

After starting his professional career in Costa Rica, Randall Leal joined the Belgian side K.V. Mechelen in 2014. He spent four years in Belgium, but didn’t manage to establish himself as a starter, having only played a total of 19 games during that period.

Leal is also a part of his country’s national team, having received his first call-up in September 2018 and playing 11 games since then. This also included an appearance on this year’s Gold Cup.

The post Nashville SC Acquires Costa Rica Midfielder Randall Leal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Major League Soccer is expanding, and it just got the home for its 24th team. MLS announced that Nashville was granted an opportunity to become the league’s next franchise. Although many considered it to be a long shot, when the 12 finalists were announced in January 2017, Nashville had the complete bid and it paid off at the end. Nashville Soccer Holdings, led by John Ingram, already secured the required $225 million in financing, which will be used to build a stadium.

The city will have its own team in the United Soccer League next season, with the MLS team targeted for 2020 season. There will certainly be some urge to bring Nashville to MLS as soon as possible, since Los Angeles FC is set to join in 2018, leading to an uneven number of teams in the league.

Besides Nashville, Cincinnati, Detroit and Sacramento were also in the hunt for the expansion place as part of the final four and still are. MLS will award an additional spot in the league but has decided to make a decision in 2018. The league has released the following statement:

“Following the announcement of Nashville as our newest club yesterday, Major League Soccer remains in discussions with the other three finalists for the next team to be awarded during this round of expansion — Cincinnati, Detroit, and Sacramento. All three submitted impressive bids which the league will take additional time to review before announcing a final decision in the new year.“

Out of these three cities, it is believed that Sacramento has the biggest chance of getting the bid.

There is also an issue of Miami’s expansion franchise, which already got the green light from MLS. The city supposed to have a team in MLS in 2019, but problems with acquiring the stadium site may delay the process even further.

The post MLS Announces Nashville as Home for the Latest Expansion Franchise appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Nashville FC announced on Monday that they have reached an extension agreement with USMNT center back Walker Zimmerman. According to the club, this new deal will keep Zimmerman with the organization through 2023. 

While the financial terms of the deal haven’t been made public, Nashville revealed that they completed the extension by using Target Allocation Money (TAM). Also, the club now holds an option to add another year to Zimmerman’s contract and keep him under control through 2024.

“We acquired Walker knowing that he is one of, if not the top, center backs in Major League Soccer and the US men’s national team pool,” said Nashville general manager Mike Jacobs. “He is an important piece of our club’s present and future, and we wanted to commit ourselves to him to demonstrate that.”

Zimmerman joined Nashville from LAFC in February after the MLS Best XI campaign in 2019. Nashville had to part way with $1.25 million in General Allocation Money (GAM) and a 2020 international roster spot in exchange for the 27-year-old’s services.

So far, Zimmerman made two appearances with Nashville and scored one goal, which was the team’s first in MLS.

”I couldn’t be more excited to represent Nashville SC, on and off the pitch, for the next few years,” said Zimmerman after inking the deal. ”Nashville has shown that it embraces their sports teams with an unrivaled passion. We witnessed that firsthand at our inaugural game in February. My hope is to bring trophies to the city, and our fans, for years to come.”

Walker Zimmerman spent the majority of his professional career with FC Dallas, making 110 appearances in all competition between 2013 and 2017. He also has 12 appearances for the United States on an international level.

The post Nashville Agrees to Extension With U.S. CB Walker Zimmerman appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Nashville SC made another addition to their squad as the club prepares for their inaugural MLS season in 2020. After previously singing the likes of Anibal Godoy, David Accam, and Hany Mukhtar, Nashville now reportedly also secured the services of Costa Rica midfielder Randall Leal.

Leal comes to MLS after spending the previous year with Costa Rican side Saprissa. He made a total of 38 appearances with the club since arriving in August 2018 and managed to score six goals.

According to ESPN, Leal signed a deal with Nashville with the 22-year-old’s salary being above the Young Designated Player threshold. It is expected that the club officially confirms their newest acquisition in coming days.

After starting his professional career in Costa Rica, Randall Leal joined the Belgian side K.V. Mechelen in 2014. He spent four years in Belgium, but didn’t manage to establish himself as a starter, having only played a total of 19 games during that period.

Leal is also a part of his country’s national team, having received his first call-up in September 2018 and playing 11 games since then. This also included an appearance on this year’s Gold Cup.

The post Nashville SC Acquires Costa Rica Midfielder Randall Leal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Major League Soccer is expanding, and it just got the home for its 24th team. MLS announced that Nashville was granted an opportunity to become the league’s next franchise. Although many considered it to be a long shot, when the 12 finalists were announced in January 2017, Nashville had the complete bid and it paid off at the end. Nashville Soccer Holdings, led by John Ingram, already secured the required $225 million in financing, which will be used to build a stadium.

The city will have its own team in the United Soccer League next season, with the MLS team targeted for 2020 season. There will certainly be some urge to bring Nashville to MLS as soon as possible, since Los Angeles FC is set to join in 2018, leading to an uneven number of teams in the league.

Besides Nashville, Cincinnati, Detroit and Sacramento were also in the hunt for the expansion place as part of the final four and still are. MLS will award an additional spot in the league but has decided to make a decision in 2018. The league has released the following statement:

“Following the announcement of Nashville as our newest club yesterday, Major League Soccer remains in discussions with the other three finalists for the next team to be awarded during this round of expansion — Cincinnati, Detroit, and Sacramento. All three submitted impressive bids which the league will take additional time to review before announcing a final decision in the new year.“

Out of these three cities, it is believed that Sacramento has the biggest chance of getting the bid.

There is also an issue of Miami’s expansion franchise, which already got the green light from MLS. The city supposed to have a team in MLS in 2019, but problems with acquiring the stadium site may delay the process even further.

The post MLS Announces Nashville as Home for the Latest Expansion Franchise appeared first on SportzBonanza.