Big Apple Soccer reported Friday that the New York Red Bulls will likely sign Gary McAllister as the new head coach as early as next week.

The Scotsman, 47, has coached at Leeds United and Aston Villa. He also earned 57 caps for the Scottish national team. McCallister has long been considered the favorite to take over for Hans Backe, who was fired after the Red Bulls were eliminated from the playoffs. Andy Roxburgh was appointed sporting director in early November and has long admired McCallister.

Former U.S. national team captain Claudio Reyna has also reportedly had conversations about a role with the club.

More evidence surfaced Friday that the New York Red Bulls are strongly pursuing Juninho Pernambucano, a 37-year-old Brazilian midfielder known for his incredible free kicks. The Red Bulls have reportedly placed a discovery claim on the former Brazilian national team player.  No deal has been reached, but the report suggests that the departure of Rafa Márquez could make his arrival more likely. That may suggest that the Red Bulls are looking at signing him as a designated player.

Report: Timbers Attempting to Sign Mix Diskerud
The Portland Timbers traded Wednesday for the second spot in the allocation order, the method used to determine which teams have first selection for returning former Major League Soccer players and U.S. national team players.

Soccer By Ives reported Thursday that the Timbers want to sign Mix Diskerud. New head coach Caleb Porter knows Diskerud from his time leading the U.S. Under-23 national team. Diskerud, 22, plays for Norwegian club Rosenborg and is considered one of the most promising young players in the U.S. national team pool.

While Toronto still has the top pick in the allocation order, they have reportedly agreed to not selected Diskerud. The move would fit with Porter’s preference for a 4-3-3.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Sun reports that 29-year-old striker Kris Boyd could be on his way out of Portland as the team looks to rebuild. He had seven goals in 27 appearances.

Mirošević Willing to Leave Crew Early to Return to Chile
Columbus Crew midfielder Milován Mirošević admits (Spanish link) he would return to Universidad Católica in his native Chile if the club calls. The 32-year-old former Chilean national team player has a year left on his contract with the Columbus Crew but said he would not rule out an early return. He was part of the Universidad Católica youth team and played on the senior team from 1997 through 2002 and from 2008 through 2011. He joined the Crew for the 2012 season and played 26 matches.

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