FC Dallas’ Kellyn Acosta Off To Europe?

A couple days before he appears for the MLS All Stars against back-to-back European champions Real Madrid, an article has come out on MLSsoccer.com saying that Kellyn Acosta could be on his way to Europe this summer.

While Kellyn going to Europe is far from surprising to anyone, the thing that may be surprising to some is the possible timing of this move. FC Dallas’ technical director Fernando Clavijo said a couple weeks ago to expect Kellyn to maybe be sold within the next year. Upon hearing that news, many fans assumed that the sale would happen in the winter after the season, giving FC Dallas an even bigger sense of urgency to win the MLS Cup now.

Unfortunately, the problem with the MLS schedule vs the European schedule is that winter transfer window falls directly in the middle of their season. This can make it extremely hard for players, especially young ones, to break into a team and to get comfortable with a club and his surroundings. That’s why the news that Kellyn would prefer a move during this window, rather than the winter one, should not come as a surprise.

It’s completely understandable for fans to not want to lose one of their best players at any time, especially during the middle of a season where your expectation and goal all along has been to win it all, but the fact is if a player receives an offer and wants to leave you have to let them do so. It is unfair to hold a player back from doing something they have likely wanted to do so since they were a kid. It is even more unfair to do it to a guy like Kellyn who has represented this team and city with so much class over the years.

Now before you lose your mind and think FC Dallas’ MLS Cup hopes are over and the world is ending, realize that this is simply a player stating a preference. There haven’t been any formal offers from any clubs for him, and he isn’t demanding a transfer. Just simply stating, that if offers were to come he would prefer now.

The model of FC Dallas has always been to develop talent, whether it be from their academy or elsewhere. When that talent reaches a certain level, bigger teams in Europe await. Kellyn Acosta is at that level and ready for that next step. With the World Cup less than one year away, now is a more important time than ever for Kellyn to be pushing his game to the highest level possible.

While a move now would be heartbreaking for FC Dallas fans, moves like this are for the best of the player, the club, the league, and the US National Team. But as previously mentioned, don’t start making your sad black and white Kellyn Acosta slideshows with “See You Again” from the 34th or what ever number movie the Fast and Furious is on now just yet. These things can be a roller coaster.