Despite a report from Germany’s Express, the Post has confirmed that Colombian international keeper Faryrd Mondragon will NOT be signing with the Red Bulls. But that doesn’t mean the FC Koln starter won’t be playing at Red Bull Arena next season.
I’m told the 39-year-old _ who is close friends with outgoing Red Bull captain Juan Pablo Angel _ actually has been in town, and is likely to sign in MLS, just not with New York. Mondragon is supposedly a high-character player, and while my source wouldn’t say what team he’s signing with, my guess is Philadelphia.
The expansion Union left both of its keepers, Chris Seitz and Brad Knighton unprotected for today’s expansion draft. Mondragon, who has 50 caps and two World Cup berths for Colombia, would be a glaring upgrade over either.
In other goalkeeping news, ex-Red Bull prospect Caleb Patterson-Sewell is about to trial with a Portuguese team, with a source indicating Belenenses could bring in the 23-year-old. The Tennessee-born, Australian-bred keeper was a Red Bulls’ backup in 2008 _ the year the team reached MLS Cup _ but made no league appearances and declined a contract extension.
He played in 2009 with the Carolina RailHawks of the USL First Division, signed briefly with the Red Bulls again last year as an “extreme hardship” case, and has been with Miami in 2010. Now he could latch on with Belenenses.
The second-division club is in desperate need of cover, with only 18-year-old Adolfo Leite (who has two appearances this year), German newcomer Christoph Semmler (who arrived from 2. Bundesliga side Rot-Weiß Oberhausen) and relative unknown Nene.