ESPN report says Colorado is pursuing-Howard
If the Rapids are in the hunt for Tim-Howard, they aren’t letting on.
The longtime No. 1 goalkeeper for the U. S. national team and Everton is being pursued by the Rapids, according to ESPN, which cited a source in its report Friday. A Rapids spokesperson declined to comment on whether the local MLS team is pursuing Howard.
Howard, 36, has played more than 400 games for Everton and more than 100 games for the national team. He is under contract with Everton through 2018, according to the report.
Thursday, the Rapids traded up to the No. 1 slot in the MLS player allocation rankings ( PAR), swapping their No. 2 slot and draft picks with the Chicago Fire.
“For us, the PAR ranking is probably the most significant draft- day deal we’ve done in this club’s history,” Rapids vice president of soccer operations Paul Bravo told the Rapids podcast Thursday. “And we’ve done it for a reason.”
The No. 1 ranking gives the Rapids first crack at signing one of 23 players on the MLS player allocation list, should that player choose to come to MLS. The list includes U.S. national team players abroad, and former ML S players who were transferred out of the league for at least a $ 500,000 fee.
“There’s a lot of players on that list that can bring real quality to our organization, our club and our fan base,” Bravo said.