Five Costa Rican players have signed for MLS teams this offseason, with more deals in the pipeline.
If you can’t beat them, buy them.
That seems to be the logic behind the increase in Costa Rican players joining MLS teams. Recent months have seen the Central American country hold the upper hand at both club and country level. Last October, Deportivo Saprissa eliminated Portland Timbers from the CONCACAF Champions League. Meanwhile, in World Cup qualifying, Costa Rica dealt a heavy blow to the United States with a 4-0 win that ended Jurgen Klinsmann’s reign as coach. As a result, Costa Ricans are very much on the radar of MLS teams.
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This is not a new phenomenon, as evidenced by Alvaro Saborío’s eight years with Real Salt Lake and D.C. United, and many other examples like Vancouver’s Kendall Waston and Christian Bolaños, and NYCFC’s Ronald Matarrita. However, five Ticos have already come to MLS teams this offseason. Portland have signed Roy Miller and David Guzmán, two members of the Saprissa team that eliminated the Timbers two months ago. Also from Saprissa, expansion side Minnesota United have signed Francisco Calvo. José Guillermo Ortiz (from Club Sport Herediano to D.C. United) and José Andrés Salvatierra (from Liga Deportiva Alajuelense to FC Dallas) round out the confirmed names.
The Tico influx may not be over, however; Daniel Colindres and Marvin Angulo are among other names rumored to be targets of MLS teams.
The Agent Behind the Transfers
The relative success that Costa Rican teams have had recently in producing quality players has raised the country’s profile for MLS teams. A quarterfinal appearance by Costa Rica in the 2014 World Cup hasn’t hurt its image. However, someone has to be coordinating this exodus; someone who, it turns out, has a long history with MLS.
Kurt Morsink was born in Orlando to an American father and Costa Rican mother, grew up in Costa Rica, and spent his entire professional career with the Kansas City Wizards and D.C. United. After being forced to retire in 2012 due to injuries, Morsink became an agent. He represents all five of the Ticos who have signed for MLS teams so far this offseason.
In an interview with Costa Rican newspaper La Nación, Morsink claimed that he has been asked to facilitate the transfers of 12 Saprissa players to various MLS teams, suggesting that what has been seen so far is only the tip of the iceberg. Morsink was also blunt about how attractive an MLS salary is when it comes to luring players north. Not even the top teams in Costa Rica can come close to competing financially with MLS teams. This makes Costa Rica (and really, any Central American country) an easy source of talented players, unlike Mexico where the disparity in salaries is generally lower.
Related Story: Christian Bolaños Stars as Costa Rica Win Hex Opener
The impact of these new signings remains to be seen; however, MLS can only become stronger by becoming the popular destination for the region’s most talented players.
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