Allocation targets starting to line up

Like all rumors involving players in foreign leagues coming to Major League Soccer these should be taken with a salt, a lot of it. But with the quality of the league continuing to improve and none of these three being huge names there is a chance.

Today, word comes from the Dutch edition of Goal.com that Jermaine Jones wants to come to MLS. He makes almost zero sense for a team like Seattle with Osvaldo Alonso and Shalrie Joseph under contract, but that would not prevent the Sounders from swapping their spot.

Former Red Bulls forward Luke Rodgers (9 goals, 3 assists in 2011) wants to come back to the league. Rodgers most wants to go back to New York, but it appears that he would be coming back through the Allocation system from the report from Soccer by Ives that he is both Free and able to come to the United States to play. Where ever he winds up he would likely now be a third forward, but that is something that the Sounders (and Red Bull) need.

Another former Red Bull is on the loan market. Winger Dane Richards' currently club is looking to loan him out to give him more playing time. While the story gives no indication that MLS is a target his success here (particularly 2011 with 7 and 7) might mean that kind of move makes sense. He is also not in an area of need for the Sounders, but the team could deal the spot if needed.

The list of players with stated interest in the league is going to grow over the next few months. Sitting at that third spot in the Allocation Ranking means that the Seattle Sounders will be in play for former MLS players and United States nationals. Even those that do not make sense with the current roster could be taken by the teams ahead of them (Toronto, Portland) bumping the Sounders up or could cause a team lower in the ranking to trade up and acquire talent.