A source has confirmed that Red Bull target Alfredo Pacheco did NOT hook up with the club this morning and fly with them to Seattle for Thursday’s season-opener. But the same source said the left back is indeed expected to meet up with the Red Bulls later in the week, so it appears the long-awaiting and highly-anticipated deal is done.
That may seem like a forgone conclusion to some, and I admit I’d felt that way at times as well, with Pacheco having farewell games and telling everyone who’d listen in El Salvador that he was MLS-bound. But anything can happen in soccer transactions, and a highly-placed source had mentioned a hiccup Monday that had given me a bit of pause.
Pacheco clearly wanted to join the Red Bulls _ so much so that his agent got the loan deal extended from one year to two _ so the hold up was never with the 26-year-old left back, but with his club. RBNY had been in tough negotiations with CD FAS, and Tuesday or Wednesday represented some soirt of a deadline. But it seems the deal is done, and Pacheco will be arriving by week’s end.
As far as the player, he’s a left-footed fullback who shows great comfort on the ball and ability to get forward. He has 32 goals for FAS since 2001, and scored the game-winner in his final tilt off a 30-yard free kick. Pacheco not only handled corners and free kicks for FAS, but he was also the team’s captain, a role he also held for El Salvador.