LIGA MX
USMNT defender Aaron Long could be heading to Liga MX
Two Liga MX clubs are in the race to sign New York Red Bulls centre-back Aaron Long but face competition from MLS and England.
Clubs in both Liga MX and MLS are looking to snap up USMNT central defender Aaron Long, who looks set to leave New York Red Bulls upon the expiration of his contract, with a number of teams hoping to secure his services. According to Fox Sports journalists David Espinosa and Sergio Treviño, Cruz Azul and Monterrey are the Mexican clubs who are hoping to tempt the central defender across the border, although both would have to reduce their quota of NFM (No Formados en Mexico) players. Each club in Liga MX allowed to register a maximum of 10 players who were not born in the country.
Which clubs are Cruz Azul and Rayados competing with to sign Aaron Long?
Further updates have emerged on Monday, with MLS expert Tom Bogert reporting that Long will make a decision on his future very soon and that the player has additional options on the table. According to Bogert, “a few European clubs, including two in England” are on the list of potential destinations, as are two MLS teams. Unlike Cristiano Ronaldo, Long rejected offers from Saudi Arabia.
Former USMNT midfielder Taylor Twellman, now working as a color commentator for Soccer on ESPN/ABC, then revealed that the two MLS clubs in the hunt were Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami. Long has, of course, already been on the books at the Sounders but failed to make an appearance for them in the 2014 season, instead playing 27 times for Seattle Sounders 2 the following year.
How many times has Aaron Long played for the USMNT?
The 30-year-old joined the Red Bulls in 2016 and has since gone on to make 175 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 14 goals. Long’s performances in New York led to international recognition in 2018, the year he was named MLS defender of the year, and almost half of his 29 appearances for the USMNT came in 2019. Despite not being a regular starter, Long has managed to stay around the national team roster since making his debut and was selected for the Qatar 2022 World Cup, although he didn’t see any game time before the United States were eliminated in the round of 16.