Loons smash club record for outgoing transfer fee. How will they spend it?

One day Tani Oluwaseyi will be able sit his grandkid on his knee and tell him or her an incredible story It might even be on the same knee cap he dislocated during his senior year at St John s N Y University the knee that bothered him at the start of his pro career with Minnesota United From humble beginnings in Nigeria to a boyhood move to Ontario Oluwaseyi will be able to share how he was drafted th overall in the MLS draft but missed majority of his rookie season with the Loons because of issues with his knee as well as a scant hamstring strains Minnesota United FC chief soccer officer Khaled El-Ahmad speaks with reporters Tuesday Aug after the team's activity during the June -July MLS summer transfer window at the National Sports Center in Blaine Andy Greder Pioneer Press He only played for MNUFC the club s developmental band that first year but Oluwaseyi s rise began in with goals and seven assists while on loan with San Antonio in the USL Championship followed by eight goals and five primary assists with the Loons in and goals and seven assists this season And his best might be yet to come Minnesota completed a transfer of Oluwaseyi to Villarreal on Friday and the -year-old will now be able to play in La Liga one of the best leagues in the world With a new contract through he will be able to play against mega clubs Real Madrid and Barcelona and in the UEFA Champions League starting this season The Loons will receive a transfer fee of approximately million for Oluwasey and holds on to an undisclosed sell-on percentage if the Canadian international moves to another club The transfer fee is far and away a club record for MNUFC I think everyone should be super proud Loons chief soccer officer Khaled El-Ahmad stated this week I know the teammates are and I think the coaches are as well that we are getting that kind of interest in players that Minnesota is a real club in the sense of advancing high-level talent The previous top outbound fee was roughly million for Romario Ibarra to Pachuca in Mexico s Liga MX in followed by Sang Bin Jeong for at least million to St Louis City in July and Micky Tapias to Guadalajara for about million last year While million is certainly good for the future it doesn t help the Loons pursuit of a trophy this year Oluwaseyi led the club with goal contributions seven more than No Joaquin Pereyra His work leading the line has helped MNUFC climb to second place in the Western Conference and into the semifinals of the U S Open Cup But Oluwaseyi s climb to the higher echelons of the sport is the understood yet bittersweet rub for MLS which is high-level soccer but not say the NBA NFL NHL or Major League Baseball So when you get an offer in you look at it El-Ahmad mentioned Is it something the member wants Because we also want to be an surroundings where we not only a make a dream happen with the Make-A-Wish Foundation but also for various of our own players to move on Is it the right thing for the club which means potentially the timing or the price that you get And the third one Does it help us also short term and medium to long term So you look at all aspects The Loons are expected to use the million in a variety of methods salaries infrastructure in Blaine and saving future transfer fees The final determination will be made by the club s ownership group But don t expect United to buy a participant at a similar price point MNUFC s top incoming transfer fee million for Emmanuel Reynoso in is safe for now El-Ahmad was sought if the club has the wherewithal and desire to spend in that ballpark to get a difference maker on the international industry I think over time potentially he stated This summer the club spent million on Greek defensive midfielder Nectarios Triantis and million on Austrian attacking midfielder Dominik Fitz That is in the same ballpark the club spent on Kelvin Yeboah and Pereyra last summer Los Angeles FC spent an MLS record million to bring in Son Heung-min from Tottenham in July I don t think Minnesota is there at this moment El-Ahmad disclosed commented about the Son deal We re all aligned in the process and continue to improve If it happens at specific point I would bring it to the ownership group But at this moment we re not there yet I think by showing that we can grow value and sell players you re starting to create a narrative that we might be ready for something like that at specific point in the future Related Articles Did Loons get better in the summer transfer window Time will tell MNUFC beats summer transfer window with four additions Loons forward Tani Oluwaseyi linked in practicable transfer to Villarreal Air their grievances Loons hold club meeting after - loss to Colorado A look into Loons deafening silence to start summer transfer window