COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – The Colorado Rapids have finally signed the Designated Players the club and supporters have been anticipating and talking about for almost two years. Danish midfielder Younes Namli comes in as the likely No. 10. Young DP Braian Galván will arrive in the summer.
Colorado Rapids DPs Have Been Signed
Namli is coming in on a two season loan. Unlike previous big acquisitions in terms of attacking talent in their prime, the Rapids can gauge how the FC Krasnodar owned player does. This gives them the flexibility to move away from him without the sunk cost of a transfer fee or a long contract. If things work out, the club had two years to prepare for the financial implications of a transfer fee.
Galván is coming in the summer and is more of an investment for the future. The Burgundy Boys are pretty stacked at winger with this signing. The young DP designation gives them some flexibility in terms of re-signing the player. This is also a move that could position the club to start selling and building a reputation internationally.
TRANSACTION: Colorado Rapids sign Younes Namli as a Designated Player on a two-year loan with an option to buy on Jan. 15, 2020, pending receipt of his ITC and P-1 Visa.
Name: Younes Namli
Pronunciation: YOU-nuhs nam-lee
Height: 5-11
Weight: 154
Birthdate: June 20, 1994
Birthplace: Copenhagen, Denmark
Last Club: FC Krasnodar
Nationality: Danish
TRANSACTION: Colorado Rapids sign winger Braian Galván on January 16, 2020, pending receipt of his ITC and P-1 Visa. Galván will remain with Colón and join the Rapids upon the opening of the Secondary Transfer Window.
Name: Braian Galván
Pronunciation: “Brian” gal-VAHN
Position: Winger
Height: 5-5
Weight: 141
Birthdate: October 6, 2000
Birthplace: San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
Last Club: Club Atlético Colón
Nationality: Argentine
Tactics:
Both of these moves are pretty straight forward position wise and tactically. Namli will be a central midfielder alongside Kellyn Acosta and Jack Price. He’s the No. 10 this has needed for nearly a decade. Galván is a winger but how much he’ll contribute in 2020 is in doubt given he’s coming in the summer and will have competition.
Ultimately, the technical staff has indicated they’ve learned from the mistakes of the past and these foreign DPs will be different from the busts of the past. The Rapids need to win and it should be with these players playing well.
