Chicago's DaMarcus Beasley has attracted plenty of suitors from Europe but not enough dollars for MLS to let him leave. Jeff Gross/Getty Images

After a long wait, Major League Soccer is entering the final stages of the race to decide which expansion teams will join the league in 2005. A league source tells me an announcement about Chivas US -- the American spinoff of the storied Guadalajara franchise -- is tentatively planned at the Home Depot Center outside Los Angeles for July 8.

By reaching an agreement to add a second MLS team in L.A. -- over league-preferred Houston -- flamboyant Chivas owner Jorge Vergara got his initial wish. How did Vergara do it? Simple: he sweetened the pot with a $15 million payment to the Anschutz Entertainment Group (owners of the L.A. Galaxy), in addition to footing the team's $10 million MLS expansion team fee. Chivas will share the Home Depot Center with the Galaxy, playing on alternate weekends and instantly creating (organizers hope) the most heated rivalry in MLS.

Meanwhile, the Salt Lake City bid headed by Dave Checketts has taken the lead over Seattle for the other expansion team, with league officials hoping for an announcement by mid-July. While Chivas is a definite for 2005, it's possible that Salt Lake and Seattle will both be part of the next round of expansion in 2006, by which time the 10-team MLS says it will increase to 14 franchises.

Salt Lake City's bid has been strengthened by Checketts' $1 million non-refundable payment to MLS to secure the territory rights for a team. "Checketts is a very aggressive guy, so Salt Lake may be ready for 2005," says a league source. For its part, the Seattle bid led by Adrian Hanauer, the GM of the A-League Seattle Sounders, is very much alive, although Seattle's chances for 2005 have diminished in the past week. The extra year would give the Seattle ownership group more time to solidify and allow the team to debut in 2006 with Pacific Northwest native Kasey Keller, who has indicated a desire to return home after his Tottenham Hotspur contract ends next season.

The top candidates to become the 14th MLS team in 2006 include San Antonio, Houston, Philadelphia, Rochester, Toronto and Portland.

Grumbling about Real Madrid game

In return for dropping out of the MLS All-Star Game at the 11th hour, Real Madrid has agreed to play a team of MLSers in Madrid on Tuesday, Sept. 21. One problem: MLS players aren't thrilled about it. The trans-Atlantic trip comes in the middle of the MLS stretch run and World Cup qualifying, and the game takes place one day before the U.S. Open Cup final. Moroever, the players I talked to weren't certain they would receive any bonus pay for the Madrid trip.

An MLS official says the league will try to get U.S. Soccer to reschedule the Open Cup final for Sept. 15, and adds that every player who travels will receive an All-Star bonus. The game, whose TV rights are owned by MLS, will likely be televised live.

Beasley waits for the call -- and the right price

While we understand how much Chicago's DaMarcus Beasley wants to move to Europe, it's hard to fault MLS for rejecting the recent $1.37 million transfer offer by Southampton of the English Premier League. The offer, which came before the 22-year-old Beasley scored three goals in two World Cup qualifiers against Grenada, was nearly $1 million less than the $2.3 million Ajax was ready to offer for Beasley in 2002 -- a deal that fell through at the last second when Ajax picked up a winger on a free transfer.

In other words, Southampton made a low-ball offer for one of MLS' most marketable young talents.

MLS has already provided "the steal of the season" for one Premier League campaign in Tim Howard, so it makes little sense that it should have to do so again. At the rate he's going, Beasley (whose contract ends after the 2005 season) will find a new home in Europe before the end of 2004 -- just not for $1.37 million.

Through-balls

MLS is nearing a contract agreement with 17-year-old midfielder Danny Szetela, who made the All-Tournament team at last August's Under-17 World Championship as the second-youngest U.S. player after Freddy Adu. A Clifton, N.J., native, Szetela could join the league this season, most likely with the nearby MetroStars (who would have to give up something to get him should they not win the league-run lottery). Szetela's winding road over the past nine months includes a half-dozen agents, a spurned offer from Everton and a recently signed shoe deal with Adidas. ... Speaking of Adu, he was surrounded at the team hotel after the U.S. under-20 team's 2-0 loss to Brazil last week in Ft. Lauderdale. Turns out the Brazilian players all wanted to have their pictures taken with him. ... Strange but true: Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo was named for Ronald Reagan, a favorite of his parents. Wonder what the Gipper would think? ... The Columbus Crew GM job is fast becoming a stepping stone to the NFL. First Jamey Rootes left Columbus to join the Houston Texans' front office. Now Jim Smith is leaving to join the Atlanta Falcons. ... Was that really MLS supreme being Phil Anschutz we saw speaking on the sidelines to Chicago coach Dave Sarachan and L.A. coach Sigi Schmid during the game between the two teams on June 12? Guess we can't call the publicity-shy Anschutz "reclusive" anymore, huh? And considering Anschutz owns both L.A. and Chicago, who was he rooting for anyway? "Phil roots for the home team if he has to make a choice," says an associate ... Might Lorrie Fair become the Cris Carter of American soccer? The ESPN sideline reporter had withdrawn from the WUSA soccer festivals, only to jump back in at the insistence of U.S. coach April Heinrichs. In other words, Fair hasn't been ruled out for a spot on the Olympic team. ... We already know Tiffeny Milbrett won't be on the U.S. Olympic squad, but another veteran from the University of Portland might be on the bubble as well. Shannon MacMillan, the 2002 U.S. player of the year, hasn't gotten much playing time at all this year for Heinrichs. ... More than 40,000 fans are expected for the U.S. men's friendly against Poland at Soldier Field on July 11. It will be the first U.S. men's game in Chicago since 1993. ... What the heck happened to the L.A. Galaxy during the past week? The league's hottest team gave up six points to the MetroStars in a home-and-home, including a 3-0 drubbing at home on Wednesday with a full lineup. ... One of the biggest winners of Euro 2004 so far is agent Paul Stretford, who represents English breakout star Wayne Rooney. Stretford also reps most of the U.S. players in England, including Brad Friedel, Claudio Reyna, Brian McBride and Carlos Bocanegra. ... Count San Jose GM Alexi Lalas among those looking forward to a reunion game featuring the 1994 U.S. World Cup team on All-Star weekend. "I'm excited to get a little run with the '94 team," Lalas says. "But I made it very clear that I would only do this if a legitimate attempt was made to let us wear the jean-shorts and jerseys from 1994 as well."

Mailbag

	MAILBAG Grant Wahl will periodically answer questions from SI.com users in his mailbag. Your name: Your e-mail address: Your home town: Enter your question:

Many thanks for readers' patience while I took some time off and moved to Boston. I'm happy to say that this column is going weekly for the time being, and we'd love to hear your questions, comments and any behind-the-scenes news tips on the world of U.S. soccer. Just drop me a line, and I'll respond to some of the best questions next week from Lisbon.

Top of the table

How Soccer Explains the World: The new book by Franklin Foer (of The New Republic fame) is a must-read for any fan who wants to know more about soccer's role in globalization. Foer takes us on an around-the-world adventure to England, Brazil, Ukraine, Scotland, Italy and beyond -- and even has a negative experience with Hristo Stoitchkov. (Join the club, Frank!)

Kansas City Wizards: Don't look, but Bob Gansler's boys are fast establishing themselves as the dominant team in MLS. A result in San Jose this week would complete a remarkable undefeated five-game road trip.

New nickname for Dallas: Team management has decided to dump "the Burn," blessedly killing the worst nickname in professional sports. An announcement of the new handle will come on Aug. 9, but early bets are on FC Dallas.

Eddie Gaven: MetroStars' 17-year-old breaks out in a big way against L.A., scoring twice in a stunning 3-0 whitewash as Metro complete a six-point sweep of the Galaxy.

Relegation zone

Setanta Sports: Money-grubbing jackals are charging 20 bucks a pop for Euro 2004 viewing in the U.S. and an absurd $179 for home viewing of the entire tournament. (For some perspective, the entire 2004 NFL Sunday Ticket package costs a mere $20  more at $199.)

Steve Sampson: Former U.S. coach gets the sack in Costa Rica after the Ticos' less-than-inspiring start to World Cup qualifying. We're waiting for Sampson to say that Costa Rican fans "never really embraced" him in the head-coaching position.

WUSA support in Minnesota: If last week's first WUSA Soccer Festival was a test of the appetite for women's soccer in the Minneapolis area, then Blaine, Minn., got an F. WUSA players were disappointed in the turnout (and the marketing) for the two-game event, which drew crowds of 2,011 and 5,017 (for Mia Hamm's appearance). Organizers are hoping for an improvement for the July 27 doubleheader at the Home Depot Center.

Italy The Azzurri crash out early for the second straight major tournament -- and respond with more ridiculous conspiracy theories. Memo to the Italians: your failures had nothing to do with Byron Moreno, Sweden or Denmark. Time to take a look in the mirror.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Grant Wahl keeps you up to date with the world of U.S. soccer at SI.com.