News aplenty today from Portland Timbers camp

Portland owner Merritt Paulson got the Timbers Army attention this morning by Tweet-teasing about some player news this week.

It was after news of the Eric Alexander trade – and it all makes sense in context. Shipping Alexander to New York for allocation money certainly had that “first-shoe look” about it. As in, there was another one about to drop, most likely a player who will lean toward the higher end of the salary scale.

The assumption would have been that Former Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre would be the man; the Timbers have a need and reports out of Arizona last week suggested that the former French international, now 35, had made a reasonable account.

But then this …

If the part about remaining in Arizona is true, then the speculation might turn toward New York, Seattle, New England and Real Salt Lake, all of which are in Tucson this week. New York is reasonably well-stocked with Markus Holgersson and Jamison Olave, plus Heath Pearce available to slide over from the left without much (or perhaps any) drop in quality.

Seattle, New England or RSL? Silvestre could potentially improve the center back scene, assuming he hasn’t lost too much speed from his many, many days at Old Trafford.