For the second straight summer, it looks like soccer fans in Utah will have more than just Real Salt Lake to get excited about.
Real CEO Dean Howes confirmed Monday that the team is in negotiations with a major European club about an August exhibition game.
"I think we'd be comfortable for people knowing that we're working really hard to make that happen," said Howes. "We're right in the heart of the trying to formalize the deal."
If a deal is reached, Real Salt Lake is hoping to make an announcement by next month. A likely date for the match would be Aug. 12, and Lavell Edwards Stadium in Provo seems like a likely venue because of its size, but more importantly because it has a grass playing surface.
Last summer, European teams Real Madrid, Chelsea and AC Milan played exhibition games against MLS teams, while English Premiere League team Fulham was the opponent in the MLS all-star game.
Even though the opponent for this summer's all-star game won't be announced until later this month, all indications are that Chelsea will be the guests for the game in Chicago's nearly completed soccer-specific stadium.
It's one of a handful of major games MLS commissioner Don Garber is looking forward to.
"We'll bring two major super clubs here this summer and play in front of what we think will be massive large crowd events in August," said Garber. "And I think we'll have that going on in a regular basis."
All indications are that one of those games will likely be in Utah.
Last summer, Rice-Eccles Stadium hosted a World Cup qualifying match between the United States and Costa Rican, a game attended by more than 40,000 fans.
E-mail: jedward@desnews.com