Report: Gonzalo Veron heading (back) to Argentina?
An update on what seems like a foregone conclusion
Reports out of Argentina are linking Gonzalo Veron to Colón de Santa Fe in the Argentine Superliga. The 28-year old Veron had his option declined by the New York Red Bulls at the end of the 2017 season and had his rights selected by D.C. United in Stage 2 of the MLS Re-Entry Draft.
The odds of Veron joining the Black-and-Red appeared long to begin with. First acquired by the Red Bulls in 2015 as a Designated Player for a transfer fee north of $2 million from San Lorenzo in Argentina, the winger never found his feet in New Jersey until late last season in a striker position. When D.C. selected him last month General Manager Dave Kasper cited the overseas interest in Veron and hoped to sign him for something less than the $500,000 he was reported to be making last year per the MLS Players’ Union. Instead, it seems likely that he’ll end up with Colón, who finished 11th in the 2016-17 campaign and are currently tied for 7th in 2017/18 (Veron’s old club San Lorenzo is in 2nd, three points behind Luciano Acosta’s Boca Juniors).
The selection was low-risk, and the impact is equally so; if the team did sign Veron somehow they would have to acquire another international roster spot to accommodate him. If the Black-and-Red tendered a bona fide offer to Veron, United will hold onto his MLS rights should he decide to return to the league in the future.