The futures of Emiliano Rigoni and Cecilio Domínguez appear to be tied together, as Austin FC attempts to complete all the necessary steps to acquire a new designated player. The largest of those steps to acquire Rigoni, it seems, is finding a new home for Domínguez.
"Yes there are clubs interested," Diego Serrati, the agent of Domínguez, told The Striker on Monday via text message. Asked whether a transfer would be completed before August, Serrati was unequivocal.
"Yes," he said.
Of course we're forced to read between lines here, but given the backdrop of Brazilian news outlets and São Paulo fans reporting with certainty that Rigoni is destined to be the next signing at Austin FC, and Verde needing to open a DP spot to add the Argentine winger to the roster, Domínguez's exit sure feels like the missing puzzle piece to making that move official.
On Saturday, following a 1-1 draw with FC Dallas to claim the Copa Tejas, Austin FC midfielder Sebastián Driussi confirmed to The Striker that he has been in contact with Rigoni. The pair were teammates at Zenit Saint Petersburg in Russia.
“Yes, he is my friend,” Driussi said. “I got to play with him at Zenit. The truth is that I have a very good relationship. I told him a little about the club, he asked me. I told him that here you can’t come to relax but rather you have to come to work hard. He knows that.”
Driussi made clear that he’s not involved in the negotiations. He was simply giving his friend advice about the club he’s excelling at. Driussi is tied for the MLS lead in goal involvements with 17 (11 goals, 6 assists) and was named to the MLS All-Star Game roster last week.
“Truthfully, I am totally focused on my work,” he said, when asked what he knew about Rigoni’s possible signing. “There are people who focus on that, work on that. If he comes, well, he will have to come to work because we know that it is a team, and a coach (Josh Wolff), that demands a lot. If he comes, he will be welcome. If not, we will continue working.”
Rigoni last played for São Paulo on July 3, and has been on the bench for the club's past two games. He's scored two goals in 31 matches this season, after a career best 2021 campaign in which he tied for the team lead with 11 during his debut season in Brazil.
The clock is ticking. The secondary transfer window for Major League Soccer closes on Aug. 4.
For now, Domínguez is maintaining his residence, and his work, in Austin. Over the weekend, he posted videos on social media paddle boarding with his dog on Lady Bird Lake, the popular downtown watering hole.
Ever since he was reinstated in May, following a month-long suspension and investigation into a domestic dispute with his ex-partner, the official statements from the club have remained largely the same.
“Cecilio is going a great job,” Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff said last week. “He’s in training every day. He’s looked very strong and he’s very committed to competing and playing. There’s not much more we can ask of him. He’s been good support to the guys, and I think we’ll just have to see how it plays out for him.”
Domínguez last saw the pitch on March 20 against Seattle Sounders FC, and has not been included in a match day roster since then.
His agent, Serrati, who also represents Austin FC players Rodney Redes and Jhohan Romaña, declined to comment when asked in which countries he is aiming to place Domínguez. Earlier this summer, Serrati mentioned in a radio interview in Paraguay that he would like to see Redes at a different club.
Redes has eight appearances and no goals this season, though he’s seen the pitch in four of the past five games after Serrati voiced that his player needed to be more active.
Domínguez, 27, was the first DP signed by Austin FC in August 2020. He has nine goals and four assists in 38 matches for Verde.
Upon his suspension in April, it came to light that Domínguez had previously been reported and charged with domestic violence in 2016 in his home country of Paraguay. A source with knowledge of the MLS investigation told The Striker that Austin FC was not aware of the 2016 charges when the club signed him in 2020.