The 2015 MLS season will begin on March 6 barring a potential work stoppage, and it promises to be an exciting one, as the conferences will look a lot different this year. However, even though the East has two expansion teams, it will be extremely difficult to qualify for the playoffs this campaign compared to 2014.

MLS announced changes to its playoff format in January. Twelve teams (six from each conference) will now be able to qualify for the postseason, as opposed to the usual 10. 

If this system was used last year, teams like the Portland Timbers and the Philadelphia Union would have competed for the MLS Cup. However, the flurry of activity by almost every club is what makes this new format so intriguing.

Western teams like the Timbers, LA Galaxy, Sporting Kansas City and Houston Dynamo have bulked up their squads to prepare for what will be a hotly contested battle in the West.

In addition, plenty of teams in the Eastern Conference made significant moves. Toronto FC spent big to acquire Jozy Altidore, Sebastian Giovinco and others as the Reds vie for their first postseason berth in franchise history.

The Chicago Fire and Montreal Impact have had busy winters. Expansion sides Orlando City SC and New York City FC have also been productive during the offseason. 

This is also the first mention of last year's top three Eastern teams, such as the New England Revolution, Columbus Crew and D.C. United. Even the New York Red Bulls, whose fanbase is still skeptical about the firing of head coach Mike Petke, should be competitive as well.

Every team except the Philadelphia Union has made some major changes over the winter season. The Union also has time to bolster its squad before the beginning of the season, so Philly could also be in the mix for a playoff spot.

D.C. has a relatively strong squad. There are issues up front, because Fabian Espindola was the only double-digit scorer with 11 goals in 2014. Eddie Johnson woefully underperformed as a designated player, and the striker's issues were evident in the playoffs.

However, United should still be a contender in the East due to its strong defending and deep midfield. 

The Revolution was one of the most entertaining teams, and the Revs gained stability thanks to Jermaine Jones. However, A.J. Soares' potential move to Hellas Verona hit a bump in the road, per Julian Cardillo of New England Soccer Today.

Even if Soares is still on the Revolution roster, there isn't a lot of defensive depth in the squad. On the other hand, the attack and midfield should guide the Revs into the playoffs. Head coach Jay Heaps is looking at center backs as well, according to Craig Forde of MLSSoccer.com.

The Crew made a few unknown signings from overseas, and they should be able to help guide the club into the postseason. Chicago is in the same boat, although Columbus only signed six players compared to the Fire's nine.

Orlando City has to be considered as an automatic playoff team as well. Kaka, Bryan Rochez, Amobi Okugo, Aurelien Collin and Brek Shea are just a few of the standouts in the squad. Youngsters such as Tyler Turner and Tommy Redding make this team the perfect blend of youth and experience.

NYCFC is also set for a successful campaign. David Villa should be one of the top goalscorers in Major League Soccer and will be a difference-maker for New York. Ned Grabavoy, Mix Diskerud and Frank Lampard should also form one of the best midfields in the league.

TFC and Montreal made several moves and now appear to be balanced in every position. The Impact are still searching for a big-name striker, per the Canadian Press (h/t Sportsnet), but president Joey Saputo will surely make the signing before the first week of March.

It's incredibly difficult to choose which six teams will make the playoffs out of the Eastern Conference. This is why the 2015 MLS season should be one of the most entertaining and competitive campaigns to date.

All official transactions courtesy of MLSSoccer.com.

Peter Galindo covers MLS and U.S. soccer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @PGFutbol.

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Kaka scored his first goal for Orlando City, although we will be hoping that more exciting efforts are on the way.

The Brazil legend converted a penalty (just after the one-minute mark above) for the expansion franchise in a low-key pre-season friendly, where there seemed to be more people on the pitch than watching. 

Orlando won the clash against FC Dallas, 4-0. 

[MLSsoccer.com]

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MLS teams have begun their preseason regimens as the 2015 campaign draws closer. While the season might be delayed due to the ongoing CBA negotiations, every club is still preparing as if everything will go on as scheduled.

Plenty of teams made some marquee signings this winter, such as Toronto FC and expansion side Orlando City SC. Meanwhile, the likes of New York City FC were in the news for all of the wrong reasons.

Every MLS club will be graded based on their offseason moves between December and February. If a team addressed their biggest weaknesses or upgraded specific positions, that will result in a high grade. If a specific side didn't fill any voids or had any negative publicity, they will be ranked lower.

Here are the complete report cards for every MLS team's offseason to this point.

All official transactions via MLSSoccer.com.

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Australia international Tim Cahill has left Major League Soccer's New York Red Bulls by mutual consent, it's been revealed.   

The club's official Twitter account announced on Monday that Cahill's contract has been terminated, allowing the veteran forward to sign for a new club before Europe's January transfer window closes:

Per the official New York Red Bulls website, sporting director Ali Curtis was quoted as saying of the decision:

This decision was not made lightly, and it is the result of many conversations between our staff, Tim, and his agent. After much deliberation, we have agreed that this decision is best for all involved. We thank Tim for his service to the organization. He positively impacted the growth of the beautiful game in the United States, MLS and for the Red Bulls. We are pleased that Tim will continue to be an ambassador for Red Bull moving forward.

Sports journalist Pete O'Rourke confirms where Cahill will play next:

Cahill signed for the Red Bulls in July 2012 after bringing an end to his eight-year tenure with Everton, the MLS outfit being just the third club of his professional career.

Speaking on his time in New York, Cahill was quoted by the official Red Bulls account as speaking highly of his time in MLS:

According to Carly Adno of The Daily Telegraph, the 35-year-old had options to join clubs in England, China, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar after helping the Socceroos lift this year's Asian Cup title on home soil.

Cahill scored 14 goals in 62 appearances for the New York Red Bulls, with his departure leaving the Major League Soccer outfit free to sign another Designated Player.    

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Jozy Altidore made the best possible decision for his career when he exited English Premier League side Sunderland on January 16. 

There is no doubt the United States international needed to leave Wearside in order to get playing time, but there were some questions about his landing spot. 

By moving to Toronto FC of Major League Soccer, Altidore put a ton of pressure on himself to succeed, but that is exactly what the player needs to further his career. 

At 25 years old, Altidore still has plenty of time to develop into one of the best forwards produced by the United States. But few are willing to put him in the discussion based on his time at Sunderland and his spotty form at the international level of late. 

With the guarantee of first-team action in front of him in 2015, Altidore is expected to take the league he once played in by storm. 

In three seasons with the New York Red Bulls, Altidore scored 15 goals in 37 appearances, which is a respectable number for a young player coming through the ranks at a club. 

In his return to North America, Altidore is expected to score close to 15 goals to be considered a success with the new-look Reds. 

Altidore won't be the only big name under scrutiny if Toronto fails to produce results right away in the weakened Eastern Conference. The American forward will be joined by Sebastian Giovinco, Michael Bradley and Benoit Cheyrou in a star-studded lineup. 

If he channels the pressure in the right manner, Altidore could be the leader of one of the deadliest attacks in all of MLS. 

While they may not match the Seattle Sounders or LA Galaxy in terms of attacking capability in their first year as a unit, the Toronto attack has the potential to prey on some weak opposing defenses. 

Entering the 2015 campaign, only three teams can be seen as locks to make the playoffs. One of the reasons why the New England Revolution, Columbus Crew and D.C. United will be labeled as such is their ability to defend.

That leaves matches against six other Eastern Conference teams in which Altidore will be able to shred apart an average defense if he is in form. Even when he faces the powers of the conference, the 25-year-old will have a few advantages against them. 

Two of three clubs feature players who spent long stretches of time with the United States men's national team, while there is plenty of film on the other emerging defensive duo in D.C.

Thanks to training against Columbus' Michael Parkhurst and New England's Jermaine Jones in the past, Altidore should have some mental notes on the strengths and weaknesses of both players. The familiarity with their respective games could turn into a key intangible in big matches. 

As for the D.C. duo of Steve Birnbaum and Bobby Boswell, there are plenty of scouting reports from the 2014 season on what the tendencies of both players are. If Altidore takes advantage of the cerebral aspect of the game, he will find holes in the tight defensive pairing at some point during a 90-minute match. 

But the key for Altidore, as it is for any forward, will be his confidence. If Altidore can regain that during his first few months in Toronto, he has the chance to turn into a scoring machine for both club and country. 

As the top talent in the USMNT forward pool, Altidore must be able to be a nuisance up top in whatever formation manager Jurgen Klinsmann opts to throw out on the pitch. 

On countless occasions throughout the last 12 months, Altidore has been criticized for disappearing during long stretches of the match. While at his best, he brings tremendous hold-up play that other attackers can benefit from. But at his worst, Altidore makes the USMNT attack ineffective at best. 

One key factor about his move to Toronto that no one should look past is the playing time he will earn alongside Michael Bradley. If the American pair can form a strong bond on the pitch, the rewards will be reaped by Toronto and the USMNT. 

At the club level last season, Bradley was forced to do more work than usual due to the lack of a consistent attacker up top. With Altidore in the fold, Bradley should be able to stay further back in the midfield, which will also help solidify the Toronto defense.

On the international scene, the dynamic between Bradley and Altidore will only make the USMNT's play in the middle of the pitch better. In the 3-2 loss to Chile, the Americans failed to set the tone in the middle of the park because of the play of Bradley and Altidore.

In six months' time, we may not have the same concerns about the players if they can forge a successful partnership, which should result in Altidore recording a double-digit goal total at the club level.

Only time will tell if Altidore can become a massive success in Toronto, but all the signs are pointing toward the American forward having a career year in 2015. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. 

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The Sacramento Republic received a big boost on Thursday night. The San Francisco 49ers owners announced that they will invest in the team as the USL Pro side vies for MLS expansion, per the club's official website. The Sacramento Kings are also involved with Republic FC, and these two owners as business partners will make the California city an attractive market for MLS expansion.

Jed York, the 49ers' CEO, told The Sacramento Bee that the Republic's lead investors are "a great group of people" and that he's confident of the club gaining MLS status.

York's confidence is understandable. Vivek Ranadive, the Kings owner, is worth $700 million, according to CelebrityNetWorth.com, and is close friends with Sunil Gulati, the president of U.S. Soccer, per Marcos Breton and Dale Kasler of The Sacramento Bee.

Meanwhile, York has an estimated net worth of $2.6 billion as of 2013, per ESPN The Magazine's Seth Wickersham, so there is certainly no shortage of available monetary resources for the Republic's MLS project.

This project already includes a stadium (with renderings) if Sacramento is awarded an MLS franchise, and the demand is definitely there. Republic FC broke attendance records in its inaugural USL Pro season. The club finished the season by winning the league title this past September.

The investors' connections and the stadium plan gives Sacramento a significant advantage over other expansion markets. David Beckham's project in Miami continues to stall due to his search for a potential venue, as Don Garber's wish for the building to be located in the downtown core is causing delays.

However, Beckham told EOnline (h/t MLSSoccer.com) that significant news is coming on the stadium front as well as other announcements on the expansion team.

On the other hand, the same thing was said in December and subsequently no further information was disclosed. This very well could be another false alarm.

The problems in Miami are fueling Sacramento's prospects, but the city is also competing with a few other big names as well.

Commissioner Garber said there is interest from St. Louis, Minneapolis and Las Vegas. League representatives from the latter two cities and Sacramento visited MLS headquarters in November.

Zygi Wilf, the owner of the Minnesota Vikings, is one of two interested parties who want an MLS team in Minneapolis. In St. Louis, there are plans to build a stadium worth nearly $1 billion, which could also house an MLS team, per Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. The city recently acquired a USL Pro franchise as well.

Las Vegas is also a contender as it just had a stadium approved by the city with the proviso that it must land an MLS team.

However, Sacramento is ahead of every other competing market. The city has strong investors who are committed to the project, there are passionate fans and a stadium is being built in a fantastic location. Other markets meet the above criteria but having both NFL and NBA owners has to be a huge boost.

Garber has to be intrigued by what is transpiring in the Californian capital. He will announce the next round of expansions later this year, and it looks like Sacramento is the front-runner right now.

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During the wild and crazy Major League Soccer offseason, the Chicago Fire have flown under the radar with their slew of acquisitions. 

The Fire, who have missed the playoffs in four of the last five seasons, are once again looking for new designated players to bring them back to the promised land. 

In the busy offseason, the Fire have brought in Kennedy Igboananike, David Accam and Shaun Maloney as their latest designated players. All three players are expected to improve the team's attack, which already features Mike Magee, Quincy Amarikwa and Harrison Shipp. 

Given the history of designated players in Chicago, it is easy to doubt the talent the Fire will put out on the pitch in 2015. Only Cuauhtemoc Blanco experienced a good amount of success in a Fire shirt as a designated player from 2007 to 2009. 

Despite the lack of trust in the club's eye for talent, there is plenty of hope surrounding the Fire heading into the new campaign. 

On top of stockpiling talent in attack, Frank Yallop's side have attempted to secure the back line with the additions of Adailton, Joevin Jones and Eric Gehrig. 

Unlike the depth in attack, Chicago only has a few returning players in the back four in Lovel Palmer and Greg Cochrane, which means the first month or two could be rough for the unfamiliar lineup. 

Although there are plenty of concerns about the defense, the Fire do have a very reliable 'keeper in Sean Johnson. If the United States international can shine during the first half of the season, he will give the defense time to work out their growing pains. 

When you look at the squad as a whole, there is plenty of potential for the Fire to contend for a playoff position in the Eastern Conference in 2015. 

Maloney and Shipp should provide plenty of quality on the wings with a bevy of hungry forwards waiting to strike against opposing defenses. The young duo of Igboananike and Accam could also come into the league with no fear and get off to hot starts. 

While the clubs Chicago faces at the start of the season will have information on the two forwards, they will not have the in-person experience of marking the two. Just like many first-year players in other American sports, the pair could thrive before tape is gathered on them.

Another positive quality about the forward depth is Magee will not face a ton of pressure up front by himself this season. The league veteran had an unreal 2013 in which he scored 21 goals for the Fire and LA Galaxy. 

In 2014, Magee's goal total dropped down to seven, which is still an impressive total for the player, who was never seen as a major threat in front of goal before the 2013 campaign. 

With plenty of experience under his belt in MLS, Magee should be able to help the pair of young newcomers and Amarikwa with their technique in front of goal. If all goes well, Magee will only have to score a handful of goals for the Fire to be successful. 

A lot of Chicago's success in 2015 will be determined by the play on the pitch, but it also helps that the East has weakened in quality with the departures of Sporting Kansas City and the Houston Dynamo. 

At the moment, only New England, D.C. and Columbus can be seen as locks for the playoffs. With six spaces now open for playoff teams in each conference, Chicago's chances of qualifying for the postseason have increased. 

However, just like a few other squads in the East, the Fire need everything to jell early in the season to be labeled as a contender. The Fire will be lumped in the same group as the other six clubs in the East in regards to their potential. 

With so many things up in the air in the East heading into the 2015 season, the Fire could very well produce a winning season and reignite the passionate fanbase in Chicago.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

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World Cup winner and Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas told the Wall Street Journal that he is open to playing in the United States and Major League Soccer.

"I have no problem saying that I would like to play in the U.S.," said Casillas.

Casillas has been with the Galacticos for his entire career. He was developed in its youth academy and eventually earned a position as a starter. 

The Spanish international has won three Champions League titles, five La Liga trophies and the Copa del Rey twice with Real Madrid.

Casillas was also the starting goalkeeper for a Spanish national team that won the World Cup in 2010 and two European Championships in 2008 and 2012.

The 33-year-old struggled at last summer's World Cup in Brazil. He split time with Diego Lopez until the ex-Valencia man was loaned to AC Milan. However, Casillas has become manager Carlo Ancelotti's No. 1 this season.

Casillas has started 28 matches for Real Madrid this campaign, guiding the club to the round of 16 in the Champions League and to the top of the table in La Liga. The shot-stopper is currently tied for second in clean sheets and has conceded just 14 goals, per Fox Soccer.

The Real Madrid legend has been in better form, but rumors about his future continue to emerge. The agent of Manchester United's David de Gea was asked about his client moving to Madrid. He told Spanish newspaper Marca (h/t ESPN FC) that "things can change every five minutes."

De Gea's United contract expires in 18 months, according to ESPN FC. This makes a potential move to the Spanish giant even more intriguing, especially with the timing of Casillas' wish to eventually play in America.

Both goalkeepers are mainstays in the Spain squad, but they have an icy relationship, according to El Confidencial (h/t Squawka). De Gea idolized Casillas as a youngster, but things are apparently fragile as the United shot-stopper is on the verge of replacing the Madridista as La Roja's No. 1.

If De Gea is signed by Real Madrid, that would likely signal the end of Casillas' tenure. He has to compete with the aforementioned Navas, so that could be the impetus for a move to MLS. 

Assuming Casillas joins MLS, he would instantly become a marketable star and a designated player. His contributions with arguably the greatest national team in history, coupled with his Real Madrid success would make him one of the most recognizable MLS players since David Beckham.

Any team that needs defensive help would love to have Casillas for his ability, leadership and marketability. He's still a quality goalkeeper who can make an impact on an MLS team. 

The Philadelphia Union, who had three starting-caliber goalkeepers at one point, were the center of jokes as soon as the Casillas story broke:

Whether it's the Union or any other club, Casillas would be an instant success in North America, should he choose to make the move across the Atlantic.

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Updates from January 28, 2014

Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas has attracted interest from three MLS teams since he told the Wall Street Journal that he'd like to play in MLS.

According to Fichajes.net (h/t Spanish newspaper AS), the LA Galaxy, Toronto FC and New York City FC are keen on signing the World Cup winner. 

In order to pry Casillas out of Madrid, then one of the clubs would have to pay a fee of €6 million. Inside Spanish Football claims that the shot-stopper would command annual wages of about €6 million as well.

TFC has already forked out several million dollars to acquire Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco on designated-player deals. The Reds have two other DPs in Michael Bradley and Gilberto, so they would have to offload two of them in order to afford Casillas.

The Galaxy would also need to either sell one of their three designated players, or pay down Casillas with allocation money in order to sign him.

The club's current No. 1 goalkeeper, Jaime Penedo, has been solid, but he does take a few too many risks and is 33 years old. Surely if Casillas is interested in signing with LA, the Galaxy brass will jump at the opportunity.

NYCFC has just two designated players. Casillas' ex-Spain teammate, David Villa, and Frank Lampard occupy those slots. The expansion side is the only team of the three interested parties that can sign the Madridista without having to shake up its roster.

However, the landscape of MLS is always changing. It's unlikely that Casillas will leave Madrid in January or even in the summer. If the Spain international decides to play in North America, there will be plenty of teams that will be chasing his signature.

Original Text

World Cup winner and Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas told the Wall Street Journal that he is open to playing in the United States and Major League Soccer.

"I have no problem saying that I would like to play in the U.S.," said Casillas.

Casillas has been with the Galacticos for his entire career. He was developed in its youth academy and eventually earned a position as a starter. 

The Spanish international has won three Champions League titles, five La Liga trophies and the Copa del Rey twice with Real Madrid.

Casillas was also the starting goalkeeper for a Spanish national team that won the World Cup in 2010 and two European Championships in 2008 and 2012.

The 33-year-old struggled at last summer's World Cup in Brazil. He split time with Diego Lopez until the ex-Valencia man was loaned to AC Milan. However, Casillas has become manager Carlo Ancelotti's No. 1 this season.

Casillas has started 28 matches for Real Madrid this campaign, guiding the club to the round of 16 in the Champions League and to the top of the table in La Liga. The shot-stopper is currently tied for second in clean sheets and has conceded just 14 goals, per Fox Soccer.

The Real Madrid legend has been in better form, but rumors about his future continue to emerge. The agent of Manchester United's David de Gea was asked about his client moving to Madrid. He told Spanish newspaper Marca (h/t ESPN FC) that "things can change every five minutes."

De Gea's United contract expires in 18 months, according to ESPN FC. This makes a potential move to the Spanish giant even more intriguing, especially with the timing of Casillas' wish to eventually play in America.

Both goalkeepers are mainstays in the Spain squad, but they have an icy relationship, according to El Confidencial (h/t Squawka). De Gea idolized Casillas as a youngster, but things are apparently fragile as the United shot-stopper is on the verge of replacing the Madridista as La Roja's No. 1.

If De Gea is signed by Real Madrid, that would likely signal the end of Casillas' tenure. He has to compete with the aforementioned Navas, so that could be the impetus for a move to MLS. 

Assuming Casillas joins MLS, he would instantly become a marketable star and a designated player. His contributions with arguably the greatest national team in history, coupled with his Real Madrid success would make him one of the most recognizable MLS players since David Beckham.

Any team that needs defensive help would love to have Casillas for his ability, leadership and marketability. He's still a quality goalkeeper who can make an impact on an MLS team. 

The Philadelphia Union, who had three starting-caliber goalkeepers at one point, were the center of jokes as soon as the Casillas story broke:

Whether it's the Union or any other club, Casillas would be an instant success in North America, should he choose to make the move across the Atlantic.

Peter Galindo covers MLS and U.S. soccer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @pgalindo16.

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MLS is on the rise. Average attendance was at an all-time high in 2014, and a new eight-year TV deal with ESPN, FOX Sports and Univision Deportes will begin this season. This is all great news, but the league's single-entity structure is still restricting growth.

MLS defines its system on the Press Box page as "a single, limited liability company (single-entity). In the single-entity business structure, club operators own a financial stake in the League, not just their individual team." It sounds, and actually is, very confusing.

Commissioner Don Garber said that the league wanted to be more transparent beginning this year. However, Garber also indicated that the single-entity system wouldn’t change in order to accomplish that goal.

Also, it appears that Garber will have a serious fight on his hands during the CBA negotiations. According to Brian Straus of Sports Illustrated, the players are willing to go through a work stoppage in order to gain free agency.

It's understandable that the players are pushing for free agency. Their contracts are owned by MLS and they want to have freedom to choose their team. However, the league doesn't want to go down this road.

This isn't the only issue in a single-entity league. The ridiculous and confusing player acquisition rules are hurting MLS' reputation. Regulations dictate that a U.S. international who wants to sign with a team has to go through the allocation ranking.

However, when Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley returned to MLS, they immediately signed with the Seattle Sounders and Toronto FC, respectively.

The MLS regulations page states that "designated players of a certain threshold—as determined by the league—are not subject to allocation ranking." However, according to Adam Jardy of The Columbus Dispatch, this was a recently created rule.

The Jermaine Jones saga was even more frustrating. The Chicago Fire and New England Revolution were pursuing Jones, who wanted to join MLS in August. The league decided to stage a blind draw to determine which team the American international would join. The Revs ended up with his signature.

On the bright side, Toronto FC's acquisition of Jozy Altidore was more black and white. TFC was sixth in the allocation order, but the two other clubs interested in Altidore (Portland Timbers and the New York Red Bulls) were lower in the ranking. The Reds ended up signing the ex-Sunderland striker after completing a swap for Jermain Defoe.

Timbers owner Merritt Paulson told Jamie Goldberg of The Oregonian that the Altidore deal is the beginning of a more transparent MLS. It's a significant statement from Paulson after the Dempsey debacle. Portland was first in the allocation but didn't end up signing the current Sounder.

MLS is a very secretive league. Terms of contracts and player deals are undisclosed, which makes it hard for fans to determine whether their team won the negotiations. The supporters are educated enough to form their own opinions.

MLS insults the intelligence of its fans by not releasing the details of a deal. Supporters cannot fully analyze a trade or signing unless they know what clauses were involved.

The Matias Laba trade involving Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps last year is a prime example. Laba was sent to Vancouver in exchange for "future considerations," which were not disclosed.

TFC supporters were left in the dark on the deal. The future considerations could have included cash, draft picks or players, but no one knew for sure. Once Laba was permanently acquired by the Whitecaps, MLSSoccer.com revealed that Vancouver had to pay money.

It's evident that the single-entity has to change in order for MLS to take the next step. Garber claims that the current structure has been successful and has brought the league to this point in its development.

However, the executives can't rely on the system forever, especially if they aspire to be one of the top leagues in the world.

Peter Galindo covers MLS and U.S. soccer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @pgalindo16.

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