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The A.J. Soares story doesn't appear to be any closer to a conclusion as the player and his agent are exploring other Italian options after struggling to come to terms with Serie A's Hellas Verano.
Washington Post reporter Steven Goff provided insight about Soares' search for a club by sending the following tweet late Thursday night:
AJ Soares' agent is in Italy scrambling to find options after Verona dud. Sporting director had mild interest, coach not much. #mls
— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) February 6, 2015
Verona has long been the rumored location for Soares, first being reported by Kick TV's Jimmy Conrad days after the MLS Cup Final. The move seemed like a possibility since the defender holds an EU passport and his contract with the New England Revolution expired at the end of the season.
News after Conrad's initial report was hard to come by, however, which made people question the legitimacy of the deal. Goff's tweet indicates that the Verona's sporting director had some interest in Soares while the coach didn't rate him highly.
Goff provided more details about the Soares-to-Verona deal when he responded to someone's tweet by saying that Rafa Marquez has nothing to do with the stalled move.
@RealColinDowd Nothing to do with Rafa Marquez
— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) February 6, 2015
Based on Goff's report, it appears that the reigning Revolution team Defender of the Year will continue to search for a European club. Should Soares return to MLS, the Revs will have priority as they've retain his rights after extending a bona fide offer once his contract elapsed.