Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson indicated in an MLSsoccer.com article Friday that the club could potentially sell "a big player" in the near future.

The Timbers have said that they plan to be active in the summer transfer window, which opened July 10. The club is already set to acquire 20-year-old Argentine playmaker Tomas Conechny from San Lorenzo, but the Timbers could make other moves before the transfer window closes.

Along with potentially bringing in additional players, those moves could include transferring out players on the current roster.

"I would give you more perspective if something was imminent, but we've got one that involves the sale of a big player that won't happen if the offer doesn't come through," Paulson told MLSsoccer.com. "But if that doesn't happen, we'll probably move somebody else or bring somebody back and there's definitely a couple things that we're looking at doing."

Timbers General Manager and President of Soccer Gavin Wilkinson also indicated that the Timbers have multiple moves that they are considering, which could include transferring out current players.

"We've identified three to four players that we are open to bringing on board," Wilkinson told MLSsoccer.com. "We've gone through the process, we like them, now it's a matter of making sure we're not committing too many resources to any one position and making sure that the balance of the group is intact. But then what I would go back to is it's a domino effect. If we move one player or if there's a transfer that comes in for one player, then how do we commit those resources to getting better? So, we're waiting for the first domino to fall and then we'll react accordingly."

There has already been speculation that the Timbers could try to sell either forward Fanendo Adi, midfielder David Guzman or left back Vytas.

Adi has been a key player for the club since 2014, netting 53 goals in 125 appearances. But Adi, who is a Designated Player, has scored just two goals this season and has started in just one of the last six games as forward Samuel Armenteros has taken off. Having a Designated Player sitting on the bench for an extended period of time is not ideal for any team in MLS.

Guzman and Vytas are both earning over $200,000, but have hardly seen minutes this season. Guzman has made just three appearances as he has missed time due to injury and the World Cup. With a crowded midfield, it's unclear where Guzman now fits in the team. Vytas, who has also dealt with injuries this season, has made just two appearances this year and hasn't been able to win back the left back spot from Zarek Valentin.

Paulson also told MLSsoccer.com that that club could "bring somebody back." There are obviously plenty of former Timbers that Paulson could be referring to, but the club currently has just one rostered player out on loan in Lucas Melano. Melano joined the Timbers as a Designated Player in 2015, but was sent out on loan following the 2016 season after failing to live up to expectations in Portland. Melano's current loan to Argentine club Estudiantes de la Plata recently expired and the Timbers must make a decision on whether to bring him back, sell him or find another loan option.

-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com

503-853-3761 | @jamiebgoldberg