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Some stability for San Jose Earthquakes

Major League Soccer team has reached tentative agreement with city for a new stadium. Haitian striker Peguero is also on the way.

April 17, 2008

Things are looking up for Major League Soccer's San Jose Earthquakes, who have managed to land a new stadium and a proven goal scorer all in the space of a few days.

The stadium, of course, is the bigger news. The Earthquakes reached a tentative agreement with city officials on construction of a $132-million, 18,000-seat soccer stadium near the San Jose airport. The city council will vote on the deal next month and approval is expected.

As for the player, San Jose has dipped into the past and brought Haitian striker Jean Philippe Peguero back into MLS, finalizing the deal just before the league's international transfer deadline at midnight Tuesday.

Peguero, 26, scored 21 goals and had 13 assists for the Colorado Rapids and New York Red Bulls between 2004 and 2006 before being sold to Brondby of the Danish league.

While in Denmark, he suffered torn ligaments in his right knee, injuries from which he only recently fully recovered. The Earthquakes are taking a bit of a risk, but they are getting Peguero on loan from Brondby, not buying him outright, and the signing is contingent on the player passing a physical.

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Brazilian-born Mexico national team midfielder/forward Antonio "Zinha" Naelson is being targeted by San Jose Coach Frank Yallop as a possible designated player.

Yallop and John Doyle, the Earthquakes' general manager, planned to be in Seattle on Wednesday night for Mexico's game against China and also to "have a cup of coffee with him and just say hi and just explore things," Doyle told the Bay Area-based centerlinesoccer.com.

Lew Wolff, the Earthquakes' owner, reportedly has given the nod to signing a designated player, whose salary is largely free of salary-cap restrictions.