The New York Red Bulls have signed midfielder Cameron Harper to a new MLS contract.  Harper signed a three-year contract with a club option for 2028. “We are excited to sign Cam to a long-term contract to keep him with the club,” Red Bulls’ head of sport Jochen Schneider said in a statement. “Cam has proven to be a great professional on and off the field and we are excited to have him with us.” The former US youth international signed by Scottish giants Celtic in 2021, has 4g/4a in 59 appearances for the Red Bulls throughout four seasons. Headed by Lewis Morgan, the Red Bulls have gone 3W-1L-2D on the season (11 points), trailing FC Cincinnati by one point in the Eastern Conference standings entering into the clubs’ Matchday 8 clash on Saturday (7:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass). Related News: Inter Miami sign forward Leo Afonso.

Inter Miami CF have signed forward Leo Afonso through the 2024 MLS season with options spanning 2025-27. Afonso was Miami’s second-round selection (No. 32 overall) in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft after starring at the University of Virginia. The Inter Miami academy product is a Brazilian but does not occupy an international roster slot. “Leo is a promising attacker that we have known for a long time, and he earned his spot on the first team through his performances with Inter Miami CF II, and in his two previous MLS appearances with the team while on short-term agreements,” chief soccer officer and sporting director Chris Henderson said in a release.  “We’re proud of his progress since first joining our academy in 2019, and we’re excited to sign him to the first team as the next step in his journey with the club. We look forward to further fostering his development within our system.” Afonso is the early-season MLS NEXT Pro scoring leader, netting four times with Inter Miami II. That is after his Virginia career, which included 22g/8a in 59 matches. He was a three-time captain for the Cavaliers and First Team All-ACC honoree. “I’m excited to officially sign my first team contract and start an exciting new chapter in my career with this great club,” Afonso said. “I’ve dreamed of this moment since I started in 2019 and got a glimpse of this in our inaugural preseason. “I always knew I wanted to come back and now we’re making that dream a reality. I’m ready to give my all for Inter Miami on and off the field.” Related MLS News: LA Galaxy buy Colombian defender Emiro Garcés.

The LA Galaxy have signed Colombian defender Emiro Garcés on loan from Liga Dimayor I side Deportivo Pereira. Garcés, who is on an international roster slot, will join through the 2024 MLS season with a purchase option. Since his pro debut with Pereira in 2021, the 22-year-old has one goal in 68 all-competition appearances. Remarkably, he made four appearances in the 2023 Copa Libertadores. “Emiro is a promising talent whom we are excited to have join the LA Galaxy,” general manager Will Kuntz said in a release. “He brings great experience for his age having been a part of Pereira’s first-ever Colombian league title-winning team, as well as starting matches in the 2023 Copa Libertadores competition. We look forward to having Emiro’s experience and competitiveness bolster our defensive unit.” Garcés joins a center-back corps that features veterans Maya Yoshida and Martin Cáceres, including homegrown standout Jalen Neal. Both Cáceres and Neal are recovering from injuries, leaving Eriq Zavaleta to partner with Yoshida lately.

The Leagues Cup 2024 Group Stage schedule, hub venues, and bracket were announced on Thursday, setting the stage for the second edition of this Concacaf-sanctioned contest. 47 clubs – 18 from LIGA MX and 29 from MLS will compete in a World Cup-inspired competition from July 26 to August 25. Leagues Cup 2024 will be held across Canada and the United States, it will choose three qualifiers for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, providing a path towards winners potentially representing the region at the FIFA Club World Cup. See: Soccer Predictions Today: Chicago Fire VS CF Montreal Sure Tips. All 77 matches can be streamed on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions. Select fixtures will be broadcast on TelevisUnivision, FOX Sports (FS1), TSN and RDS too. Leagues Cup 2024 key dates: Group Stage: July 26 – August 6 Round of 32: August 7-9 Round of 16: August 12-13 Quarterfinals: August 16-17 Semifinals: August 20 or 21 Third Place: August 25 Final: August 25 Group Stage & Ranking  All participating clubs, except the two Leagues’ champions, will be divided into three tiers based on the Leagues Cup Ranking (1-15, 16-30, 31-45) – creating 15 groups of three clubs each, prioritizing geographical and competitive balance. The Leagues Cup Ranking is determined by combined MLS and LIGA MX club performance based on points in the last 34 regular-season matches. MLS teams are ranked based on the 2023 MLS Supporters’ Shield standings, while LIGA MX clubs are ranked based on the cumulative 34 matches in the 2023 Clausura and Apertura tournaments. The top two clubs from each group will enter the Round of 32, while matches will be played in two regions – East (seven groups) and West (eight groups) to regionalize travel for all participating teams. The reigning LIGA MX (Club América) and MLS Cup (Columbus Crew) champions get automatic byes to the Round of 32. Leagues Cup 2024 Groups. Hubs for top LIGA MX teams in League Cup 2024 The LIGA MX champion and the three top-ranked LIGA MX clubs get hub privileges. This will reduce travel and reward the Mexican clubs by playing in pre-determined locations. Club América Hub privileges through the Semifinals in the state of California. Club América will debut at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego on August 9 in the Round of 32.  Reigning LIGA MX champion and No.1 ranking. CF Monterrey Hub privileges through the Round of 16 in the state of Texas. Includes both Group Stage matches against Austin FC and Pumas hosted at Q2 Stadium in Austin. No. 2 ranking. Chivas Guadalajara Hub privileges through the Round of 32 in the state of California.  Includes debut at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on July 27 against San Jose Earthquakes. No. 5 ranking. Tigers UANL Hub privileges throughout the Group Stage in the state of Texas. No. 8 ranking. Leagues Cup 2024 Tickets Tickets for all games, including LIGA MX hub venues will be on LeaguesCup.com and the hosting MLS club will make it available to fans, if applicable. MLS club season ticket holders should contact their club representative for more information.

Giorgos Giakoumakis opened his 2024 ledger in a big way on Saturday evening.  After being kept off the scoresheet during Atlanta United’s season-opening 1-0 defeat by the Columbus Crew, Giakoumakis was the main attraction during his club’s 4-1 victory over the New England Revolution at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, recording his first MLS hat trick. The Greek international striker also set another milestone: 20 regular-season goals in less than 2,000 minutes, just the fifth player in MLS history to set that mark. Was the Matchday 4 performance a message sent to the rest of MLS’ core of strikers? “I don’t need to send any message. They know me and I know them, the strikers who are really dangerous for the Golden Boot,” Giakoumakis said after Atlanta’s home opener was played in front of 67,727 fans. Giorgos Giakoumakis overcame a slow start Giorgos Giakoumakis scored all three of his goals in the second half, but he and his teammates were not lacking for chances in the opening 45 minutes.  United’s Head coach Gonzalo Pineda, when asked what changed in the interval, mentioned Giakoumakis’ “patience’’ and “confidence” as key in eventually finding the scoresheet, along with the match “opening up” in the second half. “He scored the first one, then the next one came, then the [third] one came, and I think it was a positive reward for him,” Atlanta’s manager said. “He works very hard defensively, and then he was able to score a hat trick.” Pineda highlighted Giakoumakis’s second goal of the night, and Atlanta’s third of an evening: a great team goal that started deep in New England’s end and ended with a perfect header from a timely Brooks Lennon cross. “We proved last year that we have a good connection, and he knows exactly where I am going to be, so it was something that I was waiting for,” Giakoumakis said. Team First Giakoumakis has finished as the top scorer in is league twice: first with VVV-Venlo in the Eredivisie in 2020-21 and a season later as the joint goals leader in the Scottish Premiership with Celtic FC. Although adding a third Golden Boot to his name is his desire, it pales in comparison to Atlanta’s on-field success. Last year, he was in the race with 17g/3a in 27 matches. “I will try to score every single game. That’s my main job and I’m really happy when I do it,” Giakoumakis said. “But the most important is to win week in, week out. [It’s] teammates first, I really mean that. It sounds like a cliché, but that’s the important thing. “If I win the Golden Boot and the team doesn’t do well at the end of the season, I won’t be happy … I need a good combination of collective and individual success.” Giakoumakis’ message echoed that of his head coach. “I’m very happy for him scoring three goals, but I’m happy because it helped us to win today. That’s the most important thing,” Pineda said. “Team comes first, so [I’m] very happy. It’s a reward for everyone.” Check this out: Football Predictions Today: Chelsea VS Newcastle Sure Tips.