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Transfer deadline deals and their impact on Americans Abroad

DaMarcus Beasley (Rueters)

With the European transfer window set to close on Tuesday, we are starting to get more and more rumors and deals being made, some affecting Americans directly and indirectly.

The two most high-profile Americans poised to make transfer moves are DaMarcus Beasley and Freddy Adu, who are both in dire need of moves in order to secure more playing time and get back into the U.S. national team mix. Unfortunately, there has yet to be any significant news to report about if Beasley and Adu will move, and where they might wind up. Beasley has been linked to potential moves to Germany, Spain and the Netherlands, while Adu had been linked to a potential loan move to Denmark, but nothing new has surfaced in recent weeks.

While Beasley and Adu await their fate, there are other deals in the works that will affect Americans Abroad. Here are some other potential transfer moves that could impact American players:

A Hull City move for striker Benjani has broken downafter Hull had agreed to terms with Manchester City. A Benjani arrival might have cut into the minutes of Jozy Altidore, who has impressed early on in his loan move to Hull. Altidore has done well enough to have Hull ready to send striker Daniel Cousin away.

Everton's nightmare defensive start to the season, and Joleon Lescott's transfer, has led the Toffees to the transfer market, where they landed Sylvain Distin and are now on the verge of signing Dutch defender Johnny Heitingafrom Atletico Madrid. With Distin and Heitinga in central defense, U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard should start facing much fewer shots than he did to start the season.

U.S. fullback Jonathan Spector has been getting starts at left back for West Ham, but may not hold onto that job if the Hammers succeed in signing Phillip Bardsley.

Where are you hoping Beasley and Adu wind up? Think Altidore will settle in as a starter for Hull? Glad to see Tim Howard getting some help with Everton? What transfer move involving an American player would you like to see?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. roysterer |- Spector has played left back for every team he has been on, including the US. He played left back against Guatemala in 2007 in a 0-0 draw. Simek was the RB. He did okay but I think he is better at right back and will eventually be a center back. Demerit is a better pure center back than Los but Los is a very important player for a lot of reasons.

    If DMB makes a comeback chances are the US could go with just two pure forwards in SA, Davies and Jozy, because you could list Dempsey and Donovan as forwards and open up the midfield for as many as 9 players. Of course,this would leave out Ching, Casey, Cooper and any other forward types.

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  2. If Spector can play the entire season for West Ham at left back then the USMNT’s left back problems should be solved. Plus, Bradley will no longer have to choose between Spector and Cherundolo for right back.

    Of course, that would be bad news for Jay DeMerit.

    Oh, and I think the big reason Lando is playing on the outside is to take advantage of his speed. When the US is playing better teams that can dominate the midfield, it is nice to be able to play the ball down the wings.

    I think you either have to play Donovan on the wing or as a striker (well, forward). Putting him in the middle is just a waste.

    If DMB was able to make a comeback though, you could start Donovan and Davies up front. But, for all we know, by next summer Altidore could be amazing.

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  3. NYC, check dmb’s stats. He is one of our leading all-time goal scorers and cap-holders. To say he has never been good at the intl level is just ignorant. However, he is very out of form and his recent comments about not expecting his benching at the confed cup shows his head is not right either. IF he can get his act together he is still a good option at left mid.

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  4. Jay Demerit should have transfered to Everton!
    DMB to MLS or Holland.

    any news on who and if Bari is planning on bringing anyone in?

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  5. Also, I would like to follow up by saying that I am a big fan of Feilhaber, Holden, and Torres to resolve the midfield problem. These guys possess well, and the defenders can channel passes through them instead of booting it blindly up field.

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  6. In a perfect world, DMB goes to some place like Holland, regains good form, and works his way back into the USMNT mix. If Beas became legimately playable on the left wing (big if), Landon or Deuce could slot in the middle behind Jozy and Charlie. Getting our forwards good service from either Donovan or Dempsey centrally would be big. Obviously none of this is likely to happen, but Beas could start a chain reaction that would be very positive for the US. While his play/form/club time does not merit call-ups now, I believe he has it in him with the right situation. I think we are wasting a lot of talent on the left wing with Donovan. Based on Bob Bradley’s tendencies and if we Beas were a legitimate option, here’s a lineup:

    Altidore Davies

    Beasley Donovan Dempsey

    Bradley

    Bocanegra DeMerit Onyewu Spector

    Howard

    Without a true left winger, we have to slot Donovan out there, and it forces us to play a card-happy and poorly distributing tandem of Bradley and Clark. This would remove one from the picture.

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  7. Hull City losing Michael Turner (D)is not good news for Altidore. No matter who they find to replace Turner, bringing in a new/unfamiliar defender is going to weaken Hull’s survival chances and make it less likely that Jozy will be given the chance to work through any poor performances.

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  8. DMB has never had the quality or skill to play at the national team level. At one point he was a dominant athlete, but he’s never been good enough skill wise (those weak ankled strikes of the ball just drive me nuts…) He’s got spirit and I appreciate him, but at this point we have guys like Torres and Feilhaber who are football players who can posses the ball and we need to play them.

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  9. Oranje Mike you are absolutely right. Baie goed. He has been horrid for the past year, but he was easily one of our strongest players for years and he’s not old yet.

    I would love to see him get back in form. The DMB at LB thing isn’t going to happen, but he would be a terrific sub at this point…with a huge change in form, of course.

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  10. Maybe I’m in the minority but I’d like to see a fit DMB on the US squad in South Africa. Some rag on the guy but he’s not match fit and struggling for minutes. If he comes back to MLS, fine. If he heads to Germany or the Netherlands, fine. I just want to see the guy fit and playing and wearing our national kit come next summer.

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  11. I think Jozy and Davies will eventually work their way to being the starters in the World Cup with Ching being a late 2nd half sub to help kill off games … assuming we have the lead. EJ may still be in the mix for the 4th striker spot if he takes advantage of his opportunity at Fulham, start scoring goals, and get his confidence back.

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  12. I’d rather Beasley not get transfered anywhere, so that he doesn’t get PT, and Bradley isn’t tempted to give him, just one last, final shot to suck some more.

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  13. and for Ching going because of his only hold up play…………i almost pooped my pants when i saw EJ vs Aston villa hold the ball up and combine perfectly for Fulham. and EJ’s just like Adu ceiling is much mcuh higher than a Limited Ching.

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  14. @harry,

    Ching is always on the roster. Bradley will bring him to the WC, luckily he won’t start.

    All players on the NT should be playing abroad. Whether in England or Germany or France or Belgium or Scotland or Scandinavia, they all need to get PT abroad.

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  15. umm NATO…an Inform Adu with alot of playing time will be on the World Cup roster. And why should Ching be a given. Ching has 0 World Cup expierance…..being an MLS veteran dosent mean anyhting …remember Agoos 2002 World Cup?

    Not to mention Ching is going to be even older and slower in a year.

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  16. A guy I’d like to see move abroad is klejstan, he’s been impressive the last couple weeks after a pretty significant dip in form this summer. he looks like he took a step back but now is bouncing forward. The acceleration he’s shown in recent games is very impressive, kaka-esque speed, yes i said it. I think he could be one of the best outside mid options after donovan and dempsey for the U.S. He makes too many mistakes in the middle of the field and is too much of a defensive liability, but in a 4-4-2 he could excel.

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  17. “adu cant play for U-20, because he already turned 20.”
    Posted by: gj

    That is wrong. You are allowed to play for the U-20s until you turn 21. Anthony Wallace turned 20 since January and he’s still in the team. Plus, there a 8 20-year olds on the US U-20 team.

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  18. What strikers are we bringing to the World Cup?

    Altidore, Davies, Ching are a given.

    But what about the 4th striker? Cooper or EJ or Casey?

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  19. Spector will start at the WC I’m sure. Cherundolo is quality but Spector was pretty fancy at the CC. If only he could solidfy a start for West Ham.

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  20. Adu will start and score, but he’s not coming to the World Cup. Kljestan has a greater chance, though he ain’t going either. Guys like Wynne, Rogers and Adu have a shot in 2014

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  21. Barring some catastrophic injuries to multiple members of the USMNT midfield, DMB should no longer be considered in the national team mix, regardless of whether he is playing regular club ball.
    Hopefully Adu can find a home so he can develop into a player we can use in 2014.

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  22. DMB is over. It’ time to move on. He’s lost a step or two. Would rather see our younger guys like Rogers get more time to develop. Can’t figure out the Adu Affair for the life of me. He showed well at Benfica when he arrived scoring like 3 goal as a sub. Then nothing? I know all the coaching changes don’t help. And no time at Monaco? I use to always think it was the situation. But after a few you have to wonder if it’s Freddy. We have all seen him play great. I really hope he goes to tam where he plays.

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  23. Even a loan for DMB to a 2nd div side in Spain where he could play would be a big improvement. Let’s hope something happens for these guys. I’m hoping Everton can get Heitinga set so Tim is a bit better protected. Sure don’t want him getting hurt.

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  24. adu needs a better situation…this is killing his development..

    IVES: If he is stuck at Benfica, any chance Rogan brings him along for the U-20 WC? I mean it’s better then riding the bench for Benfica..

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