Revere mayor Dan Rizzo would welcome the Revolution with open arms, especially if it helps the city become a local entertainment hub, according to the Boston Globe.

Rizzo wants to help build a soccer stadium on a 34-acre site near Revere Beach. Wonderland Greyhound Park property was once home to a dog racing and simulcast track, but it has been closed since 2010. Rizzo thinks a stadium would perfect for the land and surrounding community.

Revere "has to be right in the wheelhouse in terms of soccer fans," Rizzo said. "I'd love to see a full-blown professional soccer team here."

The Revs play their home games at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., but they have been looking to build a soccer-specific stadium closer to the city for several years. Revs president Brian Bilello confirmed that talks between the team and city are under way.

"We are in discussions with the City of Revere, which offers the proximity to urban centers and access to transit that we are seeking for a future Revolution stadium, but talks are preliminary at this stage," he said.

The Wonderland property is owned by Suffolk Downs, a nearby thoroughbred race track which sits in both Revere and East Boston. Suffolk Downs has applied for a license to build a $1 billion casino at the track, and the company locked in negotiations with Rizzo over how it would compensate Revere for any negative effects a casino's presence would have.

Chip Tuttle, chief operating officer for Suffolk Downs, says Revere hasn't asked for control of the Wonderland property, which assesors value at $10.8 million.

"We don't have specific plans for Wonderland yet," Tuttle said. "He said the negotiations with Revere are in their early stages and that the city has not yet asked for the property. "That concept [transferring control of Wonderland to Revere] hasn't been broached."

Building a stadium near an urban area has been a top priority for the Revolution for many years. It will only happen if the team partners with a community to make the dream a reality, and Rizzo wants to make it happen. Doing so would change soccer in the region and the city of Revere forever.

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Both the Revs and Houston Dynamo are tracking Sone Aluko. The Rangers striker could soon leave the beleaguered club on a free transfer, and he is thought to be considering a move to MLS, the Scottish Sun reports.

"Several English clubs are tracking Aluko, along with MLS rivals New England Revolution. But [Houston manager Dominic] Kinnear wants Aluko to commit his future to Dynamo," the report says.

Aluko, 23, is an English-born Nigerian international. He joined Rangers in November 2011, shortly before the club went bankrupt. He scored 12 goals in 23 games, impressing observers of the Scottish game with his prowess in front of goal.

Historic Rangers FC was liquidated earlier this month, and the newly formed club has been hit with a number of sanctions. It will not play in the Europe for at least three years, and is unlikely to be admitted into next season's Scottish Premier League. Analysts predict Rangers will compete in Scotland's third division next season.

Players reportedly have the option of transferring their contracts to the new entity, but many are declining to do so. American trio Alejandro Bedoya, Carlos Bocanegra and Maurice Edu have yet to publicly state their intentions but other players already have decided to leave. Aluko is thought to be one of them.

Dynamo boss Kinnear said he hopes Aluko will join Houston. But he faces comptetition from New England, whom he beat in MLS Cup 2006 and 2007.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O'Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer's Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Thumbnail photo via Flickr/Jim Easton

The 32-year-old finally fell out with Flamengo after watching their relationship deteriorate over the last year. He’s been criticized for his love of the nightlife and lack of discipline. This week, he missed practice in order to visit his sick mother. Although he was supposed to return in time to play in an exhibition game on Wednesday, he never showed up. That was the last straw for club directors. They publicly ridiculed him for his attitude and performances. Their shots echo those of fans who had turned on him long ago.

But Ronaldinho is a professional soccer player. He plays for money, and Flamengo has not paid him on time for the last several months. It has been unable to foot his $8.4 million salary after the sports marketing firm Traffic Sports, which had been paying the bulk of his wages, severed ties with the club. On Thursday, Ronaldinho sued Flamengo for nearly $20 million in unpaid salaries and delayed payments. His contract with Brazil’s biggest club was terminated, and he is looking for a new home.

MLS has flirted with the Samba star in recent years, but now is the time to make a move. The league is rightfully trying to shed its reputation as a retirement home washed-up veterans, instead investing in talented young players. But MLS desperately needs star power in order to increase television ratings, and Ronaldinho has it to spare.

From 2001-2011, he starred in Europe’s top leagues. He won a Serie A title with AC Milan, and led FC Barcelona to two La Liga championships and one UEFA Champions League crown.

While conquering Europe at club level, he became a global superstar wearing the yellow jersey of Brazil’s national team. He was a key figure in its triumphant campaign at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Since then, Brazil has regularly played lucrative friendlies around the world, as fans flocked to see Ronaldinho and his fellow samba kings.

Signing him would win his new team legions of fans, and take the league and its brand into new markets around the world. He is also one of the few players that the average American sports fan would recognize and tune in to watch.

On the field, Ronaldinho is well past his best. He probably wouldn’t lead his new team to a championship, may not be the best role model for young players, and would certainly be the top earner at a North American club. Rather than a string of wins, he’d be good for a few highlights — maybe an eye-catching goal or two — and a number of interesting headlines.

That’s not what signing him is about. More than any other player who has played in the last 15 years, Ronaldinho embodies the phrase “Latin-American flair.” It’s something that is largely missing from MLS and American soccer, and the lack of flair players in the league makes it harder to grow the sport here. He would expose more people to one of the best things about the game: pure skill.

It wouldn’t be a bad thing for the league to have the pop-stardom of David Beckham, the urban cool of Thierry Henry and the frustrating genius of Ronaldino on display at the same time. Although he wouldn’t fit into the new ethos of No Country for Old Men, he’s an exception an MLS team needs to make.

If an MLS team — FC Dallas, Chivas USA, Toronto FC or Montreal Impact come to mind — can sign him for half of what he makes now ($4.2 million), it would be a steal. Players around the world recognize the league as one that is well-run and pays its players on time. Ronaldinho is probably interested in such an arrangement at this point in time.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

These emotional scenes are what the game is all about. Fans thank their heroes for their service to their club. Players and coaches return the favor and show much they appreciate their support. It doesn’t always happen at once, but when it does it can make for a special scene. Pep Guardiola‘s send-off ceremony at FC Barcelona on Saturday springs to mind.

Such moments are part of what makes this game great, and I’ve got no problem with these spontaneous celebrations (pictured) — so long as they are good natured and nobody gets hurt.

FC Cologne “fans” responded to their club’s relegation with a flurry of smoke bombs and flares, ruining Lukas Podolski‘s farewell ahead of his Arsenal move. It was unfortunate, and these things tend to happen at or near the end of a long season.

But enough of that. Let’s get to the questions.

Any truth to the Kagawa to Manchester United rumors?
– Chris, Atlanta, Ga.

Hi, Chris. This was shaping up to be a major news story over the weekend, as Borussia Dortmund star Shinji Kagawa reportedly went on Japanese television and told the world he had agreed to sign with Manchester United. United fans were buzzing, but within hours Bundesliga expert Raphael Honigstein tweeted that the story was a hoax.

Kagawa’s contract expires at the end of next season, and the playmaker is stalling on signing a new deal. He claims he will make a decision after Saturday’s German Cup final. Remember, he can’t “agree” to sign with United or any other club until a transfer fee is agreed upon. He should cost around £8-10 million ($13-16 million), which would be a coup for any team that signs him.

The 23-year-old attacking midfielder reminds me of Wesley Sneijder in the impact he can have on a game. Dortmund is building something special right now (it just won its second straight Bundesliga title), and Kagawa might want to stick around to see where it leads. But money talks, and he can make a lot more at other clubs. Thanks for the question and for reading, Chris.

Hi. My question to you is: Was Barcas success due to the great Pep Guardiola or the players themselves? Or maybe Pep was so lucky to have Lionel Messi? Is Tito Vilanova a better coach maybe than Pep?
– Bardha Aliaj, Detroit, Mich.

Hello, Bardha. What we have here is a classic “chicken-and-egg” question. Which came first? I don’t remember the answer.

But Barcelona’s success was a mix of all those factors you cite. I’m certain Guardiola wouldn’t have been as successful at another club. The sheer amount of work he put into the job was a reflection of the passion he has for the club and the city he calls “home.” He embodied the club’s ideals and built a team that lived up to them.

Like NBA legend Phil Jackson who coached both Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, Guardiola was lucky to have Messi. Few coaches in any sport get the chance to work with a player for home the word “superstar” does not do justice. But Messi was also lucky to have Guardiola as his boss.

It was Guardiola who jettisoned Ronaldinho, Deco and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in order to build the team and implement a system that plays to Messi’s (many) strengths. Messi scored and won a lot under Frank Rijkaard, but he reached a higher level after Guardiola took over in 2008.

As for Vilanova’s comparison with Guardiola, it’s hard to tell who is a better coach, but it’s safe to say “no, he’s not.” Vilanova is central to Guardiola’s Barcelona story. The two were roomates as teenagers at Barca’s academy La Masia. Their playing careers took them to different clubs, but the two remained friends. When Guardiola returned to the club as Barcelona B coach in 2007-08, he insisted that Vilanova come along. When Barcelona offered Guardiola the manager’s job a year later, he would only take it if Villanova would be his top assistant.

Villanova has been alongside Guardiola every step of the way over the last four years. Now it’s his show, and we’ll see what he is made of. Thanks, Bardha.

Marcus, when are you going to come have a beer in the parking lot at Gillette before a Revs game?
– Chris Camille, New Hampshire, U.S.A.

Hi, Chris. I’ll show face real soon. Time has been flying by and my schedule hasn’t allowed me to make it out to a tailgate yet. I traditionally attend a Revolution game — for fun, not work — on or around my birthday (June 3), and I hope this year will be no different. I can’t pin down a date, but it’ll certainly happen by summer.

I’d also like to say how disappointed I was to miss the bus trip down to the swamp. I was invited and really wanted to go, but I had to stick around town that weekend. It looked like it was a blast.

Thanks for the invite, question and local support, Chris. I’ll let you know (on Twitter @NESNSoccer, probably) when I’m headed that way. Please save me a beer, hot dog and burger.

Is Arsenal going to hold on to third place in the Premier League?
– Ken, Dublin, Ireland

This one came in a couple of weeks ago, when the answer was “of course.” Then came Arsenal’s recent dip — it hasn’t won in four games — which put that third-place finish in jeopardy.

On Saturday, it looked like the Gunners had blown it. The 3-3 draw with Norwich City gave both Newcastle and Tottenham an opening. But they wasted it on Sunday. Arsenal can take third with a win on the final day of the season. So I’ll say it: the Gunners will hold onto third … barely.

This has been one of the strangest Premier League seasons I can remember, and Arsenal’s roller-coaster campaign fits in neatly with the rest.

Liverpool recently announced that it lost £49.4 million ($76.7 million) last year? How can this be and what does this mean? Thank you.
– James, Rochester, Kent, U.K.

James, the financial reports that came out of LFC last week made for grim reading, but you have to understand those figures as early growing pains.

When Fenway Sports Group purchased Liverpool, the club was 24 hours away from bankruptcy. The previous owners saddled the club with crippling debt, and FSG had to do a lot of financial house cleaning.

A sizeable chunk of the loss – £35 million ($56.4 million) — is due to the previous owners’ failed stadium planm which FSG had to write off.

Expenditures on transfers and salaries were higher than the previous year. That reflects the investment ownership made in rebuilding the squad under Kenny Dalglish.

Spending was up, while income was down because LFC is not in the UEFA Champions League. Participation brings in tens of millions in television and gameday revenue.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that commercial income is also up, and the money LFC has to pay in debt service has been reduced from a crippling £18 million ($29 million) to a manageable £3 million ($4.8 million).

It means LFC will be able to devote more of its earnings to moving the club forward as opposed to paying off creditors. I have a feeling next year’s financial report will be much more to your liking, as the club now on firm financial footing.

That’s all for now. Thanks for all your questions and, as always, keep sending them.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.