Fun pod. One thing to mention about transfers in soccer, compared to NBA/NFL etc, is that they generally don't happen without player consent (though this is more complicated within MLS as it was based on American sports). So Velde and his agent were involved with the talks to come to Portland. The Timbers FO would have had to sell him on the project as well as offered Olympiakos enough to let him leave. But the larger points you all made about how crazy it is to be in Athens and then have to move to Portland are so on point.
The Athletic FC actually had a nice reported podcast on this subject for anyone interested:
Fun pod. One thing to mention about transfers in soccer, compared to NBA/NFL etc, is that they generally don't happen without player consent (though this is more complicated within MLS as it was based on American sports). So Velde and his agent were involved with the talks to come to Portland. The Timbers FO would have had to sell him on the project as well as offered Olympiakos enough to let him leave. But the larger points you all made about how crazy it is to be in Athens and then have to move to Portland are so on point.
The Athletic FC actually had a nice reported podcast on this subject for anyone interested:
https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/anatomy-of-a-transfer-icymi/id1488521447?i=1000720498125
Appreciate this context, David. Thanks for listening!