Rogelio Garcia, an up-and-coming 15-year-old, is gaining major coverage after a story about him being blocked on his journey to his dream club by an MLS rule that give MLS clubs rights to players simply based on geography.
Per multiple reports, after tryouts with Sporting Kansas City, Rogelio and his family were assured that declining an offer would not lead to any consequences. But when they decided not to join the team, the club decided to request compensation for the young player even though they reportedly had no investment in the player developmentally or financially.
This move effectively blocked Rogelio from exploring opportunities like St. Louis, his desired club, which has expressed an interest in acquiring him. However, the exorbitant asking price of $150,000 demanded by Sporting Kansas City proved beyond the investment they were willing to make for the young talent.
This is leaving many fans and parents concerned about the rights young athletes have in the MLS. While money in soccer is nothing new, if stories like this are true, there may be underaged players who are stuck at local MLS clubs based on their location even though the club may not fit the player’s values, playing style, desired opportunity, or development.
Footballers Diary is looking into this story further to see what other details we could help provide and to see if the MLS can provide their side of the story.
FBD | Tony DesRois
