Not only is Utah's new Major League Soccer team on the verge of closing a deal that will bring two Chicago Fire players on board, but news out of Germany is that U.S. national team star Clint Mathis will play in Utah.

RSL general manager Steve Pastorino had no official word on Mathis, and was pleased to have Chicago's Evan Whitfield and Dipsy Selolwane on the verge of joining the team.

"To get two players of this caliber, we feel fortunate," Pastorino said.

RSL has priority rights to international players that sign with MLS. Mathis, who has been playing with Hannover 96 in the German Bundesliga, has expressed a desire to return to MLS after leaving the MetroStars for Hannover. And an Associated Press report out of Germany on Wednesday said he would play for Real.

"Any team in the league would take Clint Mathis," Pastorino said.

RSL's trade with Chicago still must be approved by the league, but Pastorino expects MLS officials will approve the deal before the end of the week. In exchange for Selolwane and Whitfield, RSL will give up a third-round draft pick in 2005, a second-round draft pick in 2006 and future considerations.

With Whitfield and Selolwane on board, RSL has filled 14 of its available 28 roster spots.

An outside defender, Whitfield is a five-year veteran that started 23 of the Fire's 30 regular-season games. He played under coach John Ellinger as part of the U.S. Olympic team in 2000.

Selolwane is a two-year MLS veteran that helped the Fire get to the U.S. Open Cup championship game this year by scoring game-winning goals in the quarterfinal and semifinal matches. A Botswanan international, Selolwane leads the African continent in scoring in World Cup Qualifying.