Portland Timbers Primary Transfer Window Review

The MLS Primary Transfer Window has ended, and I would like to take a look at the business that Portland did to improve the squad. Let’s get to it.

Departures

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Bill Tuiloma- CB (traded to Charlotte FC for $800K GAM- $500K 2023, $ 300K 2024, potential $100K 2025)- incomplete/C

This is without a doubt Portland’s biggest departure during this window. I already eulogized the Kiwi Maldini, so I’m not going to do a deep dive on it. I will mention that Dario Zuparic’s absence last Saturday against Cincinnati would have cleared the way for Tuiloma to start instead of Larrys Mabiala. I will also mention that we are still missing another aerial threat to complement Zac McGraw. I will also also mention that Tuiloma hasn’t been a massive success in Charlotte, but he has started every game for them so far in 2023. I still miss his aerial threat and his passing range, and I’m still wishing him the very best. I can’t fully grade this trade until that allocation money gets used. The C-grade is applied due to his team presence and the timing of the trade.

Josecarlos Van Rankin- RB (loan terminated- returned to Chivas)- Logical A, Emotional D

Reviled by some, loathed by others, loved by me. No, I don’t think he was particularly good, but to me he was a vibes king. I hope Sebastian Blanco has found a new buddy. Van Rankin’s form has improved a bit following his return to Mexico, but there was no scenario in which he would be back in Portland. I also wish his goofy face the best in his future endeavors.

George Fochive, Justin Vom Steeg, Blake Bodily (contract options declined)- No Grade Needed

I wish them all the best. Blake, if you’re reading this, please put five past Seattle on Wednesday night. 

Contract Business

Zac McGraw- CB (3 year extension, 2026 club option)- A+

No amount of words could convey how much I love this move. Locking down the defensive centerpiece of this side until 2025 is music to my ears. And in the words of Dennis Reynolds, he hasn’t even begun to peak. He has USMNT potential.

Felipe Mora- ST (3 year extension, 2026 club option)- A, could become A+ if he returns to form

This is another great move from Ned Grabavoy, and it’s mostly for the financial aspect. Mora is a club hero (we know why, it doesn’t bear repeating) but he has been injured since that unforgettable moment. The extension allows him to still be on the roster, but it lowers his cap hit each year. Due to the uncertainty of his health following his eventual return to the pitch, it makes perfect sense.

Claudio Bravo- LB (3 year extension- 2026 and 2027 club option)- A+

The biggest question surrounding Bravo is not his ability or his fitness, but whether European clubs would come sniffing around Providence Park for him. This extension should keep him in Portland until he turns 30. He is one of the most crucial players in the squad and keeping him in this team’s core is a huge positive.

Aljaz Ivacic- GK (3 year extension- 2026 club option)- A+ 

Another move that doesn’t really need a full explanation. You could make the case for Ivacic making the all-time MLS Timbers team on the bench or starting. If you have a good keeper who wants to be here, extend him. Simple as that.

The New Boys

Evander da Silva Ferreira- ($10M transfer from FC Midtjylland, Designated Player, 4 year contract with 2027 club option) Current B-, Potential A+

Some might give the Evander signing a lower grade because of the fee. I am here to tell you that the fee doesn’t matter at all. The DP spot is the most important part of this, unless you really care about how much of Merritt Paulson’s money is being spent. Evander came as an 8, is learning how to be a 10, and that takes time. Half the squad being injured doesn’t help, especially if one of them is Evander himself. He just played his best game as a Timber and will continue to get better. I’ve already stated on multiple occasions he’s not Diego Valeri, so patience will still be needed. He has the keys to the attack, and he’s just got to continue figuring it out.

Franck Boli- ST (undisclosed fee, TAM signing, 1 year contract, 2024 club option)- Current incomplete, Potential A+, Realistic B

This is a low-risk, high-reward signing. Boli signed the equivalent of a one-year prove-it deal in the NFL, and he is definitely a player worth taking a risk on. The movement and positioning he provides from the striker position is something the club desperately needs. Scoring a goal within 7 minutes of your debut is another way to start off on the right foot. Like Evander, he still needs more training sessions and time to build chemistry. But I am very optimistic for him. 

Eric Miller- RB/CB (free agent signing, 1 year contract, 2024 club option)- B

Signed right before the season started, Miller arrived as a pure depth piece. So far, he has made 4 appearances (2 starts) and has been as solid as they come. My expectations for him aren’t exactly crazy high, but he has impressed me with his motor and work rate. I can see why Nashville fans liked him so much. 

Noel Caliskan- CM (draft pick)- Draft Pick, High B/Low A potential

Caliskan has already hit the ground running in T2, scoring 3 goals. He also impressed me in last Tuesday’s training session with the first team. He is also a lock (in my opinion) to start this Wednesday’s US Open Cup match against Orange County SC (streaming on CBS’s Golazo Network). I don’t know how many first team opportunities he will get this year besides cup matches and some substitute appearances, but he is definitely worth mentioning here. 

Full Window Grade- B-

The last week of the transfer window left Timbers fans anticipating a center back signing that would have replaced Bill Tuiloma. That signing didn’t come, however. That means that the Timbers will be looking towards the summer window to find that Tuiloma replacement. Rumors started bubbling about Lech Poznan CB Lubomir Satka being a target. Now, those rumors are “inaccurate” according to a Timbers source, per Ryan Clarke of the Oregonian. I’m not trying to put on my tinfoil hat, but if they actually were targeting Satka, it would make sense why a deal didn’t get done in this window. Lech Poznan are currently 4th in the Ekstraklasa, and only a point behind 3rd place Pogon Szczecin. They are still in the fight for continental soccer. If Satka wasn’t the target, however, I’m not pointing fingers at Ned Grabavoy. 

Yesterday, the Timbers hired Jack Dodd as the team’s technical director. That was Grabavoy’s old job before his offseason promotion to GM in the wake of Gavin Wilkinson’s firing. This whole time, Grabavoy has had way too much on his plate. This team’s front office is very short-staffed, and honestly I think a lot of us forgot that. Hopefully within a few months Dodd can help us get that CB signing across the line. But it will be a long few months until any move can be made.

I’m going to break down the rest of the summary by positions. Coming into this window the primary positions of need were CAM, CB, and striker. Let’s see how well the team addressed them.

Defense (backline and GK): B-/Incomplete

Tuiloma’s trade is bad in the short term, and it is annoying that his replacement hasn’t arrived yet. But the contract extensions for McGraw, Bravo and Ivacic were necessary. Center back is now this team’s primary need. Eric Miller’s versatility might be tested with such little depth behind McGraw and Dario Zuparic. He’s definitely an upgrade on Larrys Mabiala at this point. 

Midfield: B-

Evander is obviously the biggest arrival of the season, and I think he will be better next year than he has been in his first couple months in Portland. Caliskan could be an interesting depth option, but Portland’s midfield other than Evander is unchanged from 2022 with the exception of Fochive’s departure. 

Forwards (Wingers and Strikers): B/Incomplete

  Boli is the only newcomer here, and he’s only had two starts in a Timbers jersey. He’s still a solid addition with low risk attached. Mora’s contract extension is also weighted in this grade, but he has only just begun resuming on-field training. Still a lot to be determined in that area of the pitch.

Overall, the new foundation was being laid in this window. Juan David Mosquera is also entering his first full season with the team, but he was already on the roster prior to the end of the 2022 season, so he’s not counted here. The contract extensions locked down proven starters, and the new Golden Boy arrived. Add that to the high potential deals that were made, and I’m satisfied with Grabavoy’s work so far at the helm. The roster is still nowhere complete, and this summer is now a critical one in Goose Hollow. 

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