MLS blocks Red Bulls' bid for Atlanta's Kandji

MLS has officially stepped in and blocked the proposed transfer of striker Macoumba Kandji from the USL's Atlanta Silverbacks to the New York Red Bulls, according to soccerbyives.net.

The transfer was supposed to value as much as $200,000, but was nixed by MLS because of the precedent it would set with regards to the pricing of USL players.

The 23-year old Kandji would have filled the Red Bulls' need for a speedy player up front to play with Juan Pablo Angel, but since the deal has officially broken down, they are being forced to look elsewhere.

Having acquired most of the funding for the deal after they traded goalkeeper Zach Thornton to Chivas USA, the Red Bulls were ready to swoop for the Senegalese striker before MLS stepped in and vetoed the deal.

Searching for a player to fill the hole through the trade market is an option for the Red Bulls, but few teams will be willing to deal given the fact that few teams are really out of the playoff race with only nine games remaining.

The most likely options for the Red Bulls now that Kandji is out of the picture are Gambian Sainey Touray, who is on trial with New York, or Crystal Palace Baltimore player Matthew Mbuta, who played against the Red Bulls in the U.S. Open Cup earlier this year.

-- Goal.com