Major Link Soccer: Sydney Leroux trade

Seattle

In case you missed it, the Seattle Reign traded away Sydney Leroux and Amanda Frisbee to the Western New York Flash in exchange for Amber Brooks, the rights to Abby Wambach, and a first-round draft pick. You can check out our thoughts on the trade here.

Our sister blog Big D Soccer is still reminiscing about Saturday's match, and all in all they seem to be fairly okay with the result.

MLS

Los Angeles Galaxy Academy player Haji Wright has chosen to sign with the NASL's New York Cosmos instead a team in MLS, a decision which a few MLS fans have called in to question. But according to a New York Cosmos fan, the decision makes perfect sense: it gives Wright a level of control over his future that MLS simply can't.

MLS has signed a deal with Abu Dhabi Sports Channel to broadcast at least two MLS games per week. Coverage will span 25 countries in North Africa and the Middle East.

We all feel like MLS referees are screwing our team over, but from the point of view of a neutral, that simply isn't true.

Harry Shipp has been playing very well lately, so well that Top Drawer Soccer thinks he's might be too good for the Chicago Fire.

The MLS CBA is hard to understand, especially when it comes to the nitty-gritty details. Luckily for you, someone has taken to explaining it from a legal point of view.

America

The USWNT and NWSL show an astounding lack of diversity, especially considering the diversity of the United States. Could the US's pay-to-play model be the cause for such a slanted playing field?

Freddy Adu finally signed with a club yesterday: Finland's Kuopion Palloseura.

Margaret Domka, a high school Spanish teacher from Wisconsin has been named to referee the 2015 Women's World Cup.

Red Bulls II have finalized a deal with Columbia University where the USL side will play their home games at Columbia's soccer stadium in Manhattan.

World

Former Celtic FC and Jamaica National Team coach John Barnes has spoken out against racism in soccer, saying that it's hard for black managers to find jobs after they've been sacked.

One new online soccer streaming service- fuboTV- is making a big play for the soccer streaming market. They're emphasizing customer service, while still not "trying to displace TV networks." In certain states fuboTV representatives will even come to your house to set up the service.

While leagues often ban managers from matches, it's hard to keep them from actually affecting, or at least watching, their team's games. One manager has taken to watching distantly from the groundskeeper's house well serving his 6-game suspension.

Unless FIFA is involved, it's a bit unlikely that you're going to hear news about soccer in Zurich. One journalist took a tour of soccer in the city, looking at both FIFA and non-FIFA aspects.

What do you do when you're being bogged down by reporters asking you questions you don't want to answer about transfers that may or may not happen? Well if you're FC Barcelona's Dani Alves, you just take the microphone and sing.

When Xavi visited Qatar and took pictures with the president of one Qatari team, it was rumored he might be traded to the Middle East. Xavi has since stated that he has no intention of doing so.

A Turkish team is designing a stadium after their namesake: crocodiles. If that wasn't cool enough, the crocodile's eyes and mouth will light up at night.