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UNITED STATES - A new season of professional soccer is about to get under way in the United States; Major League Soccer (MLS) kicks off its 19th season this weekend. A lot of movement was made during the offseason with high profile names coming in as well as coming out of the league. Forced sells of players and clubs also gave a lot to talk about during the off period.

It was the Canadian clubs who were involved in the biggest transfer stories. Toronto FC landed the signing of British forward Jermaine Defoe from Premier League club Tottenham Hotspurs. They also acquired American midfielder Michael Bradley who made the return trip across the Atlantic from Italy's AS Roma. Toronto FC also managed the transfer of Canadian soccer legend Dwayne de Rosario for the new season. The Canadians are now one of the stronger sides as well as early favorites to the championship.

Another Canadian team involved in a high profile transfer was the Vancouver Whitecaps; but they did not make the headlines for who they brought in, but for who they let go. After very controversial negotiations 2013 MLS Golden Boot Winner Camilo Sanvezzo was transferred from Vancouver to Liga MX's Queretaro.

Still under contract with the whitecaps and with lots of uncertainty over the club's future plans for him, Camilo Snvezzo and his agent decided to show up in Queretaro and claim to be free agents. The Mexican league club published photos of the player wearing Queretaro gear completing his medical test. The club announced him as a new signing.

Vancouver Whitecaps came out right away and said the player was still under contract with them. But two months later were forced to sell the player to the Liga MX team due to the fact that it would be a PR nightmare to have a player in their squad who did not want to be there and who posed with another team's jersey.

The player and his agent seemed to have forced the club into selling the player. On a similar note the league (MLS) forced Mexican entrepreneur Jorge Vergara to sell his Los Angeles based franchise Chivas USA. MLS paid Vergara out and took immediate control of the team.

Jorge Vergara and Chivas USA had found themselves involved in various discrimination lawsuits in United States courts due to their reputation of only hiring players of Lationo decent. Veragara's Liga MX team Chivas of Guadalajara has a strict "Mexicans Only" policy when it comes to players.

MLS would have been equally responsible for allowing one of its clubs to act in such a manner and decided to take full control of the club. In a teleconference offered by MLS commissioner Don Garber the day of the sell he said "the league issues have been settled"

MLS will now look for an outside owner to sell the team to. This is can be done at the soonest by next year. MLS has stated that whoever the new owner will be, a requirement will be for them to leave the club in Los Angeles. At this point a re-brand of the club is possible; forever leaving behind the Chivas brand.

Opening week schedule:

Saturday March 8 -

Seattle Sounders vs Sporting Kansas City

D.C. United vs Columbus Crew

Vancouver Whitecaps vs New York Red Bulls

Houston Dynamo vs New England Revolution

FC Dallas vs Montreal Impact

Portland Timbers vs Philadelphia Union

LA Galaxy vs Real Salt Lake

Sunday March 9 -

Chivas USA vs Chicago Fire

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jonny.rico@sandiegored.com (Follow Jonny Rico on Facebook and Twitter)