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By all accounts, New York Red Bulls and U.S. international centerback Tim Ream has struggled in his second season as a professional, but that doesn't necessarily mean that major clubs overseas haven't taken note of his potential.
According to reputable UK outlet The Independent, Arsenal has sent scouts to watch Ream in action during Wednesday night's MLS playoff match against FC Dallas. The Independent also states that the Red Bulls rejected Arsenal's bid of approximately $4 million for Ream this summer and he could be a candidate for a winter move to the Premier League.
Ream, 24, had a standout season as a rookie for the Red Bulls in 2010, earning high praise and eventual call-ups to the U.S. national team. His trademark attributes — composure on the ball, pinpoint passing — make him an attractive prospect, but he has been guilty of defensive lapses at times this season. He'll get a chance to prove his worth — both to the Red Bulls and the scouts in attendance — during Wednesday's one-off elimination game against FCD.
What do you make of this development? Could you see Ream suiting up for Arsenal and playing in the Premier League? Think this will affect his performance tonight?
Share your thoughts below.
+ a Jillion
Maybe he’s been getting called up because JK has been aware of the interest and knows that the only way he gets a work permit is if his participation in national team games is up. I don’t remember what the percentage is, but I thought there was a requirement for players based on MNT games.
wow, people really hate Ream so much they can’t be happy for him?
+666
From what I can tell it’s 66% of the transfer fee, but only the first $650k counts as allocation money. In which case, it’s not a huge deal. Still it would be Ream’s salary plus $650k so in theory you could do better.
If the $4 million bid that got rejected is true, which would make sense with the way the MLS inflates players’ price tags, it wouldn’t be a financially sound decision given how much more money it would take to train him for the next 4 years.
I like Ream, but why would he get more attention than Omar Gonzalez? That doesn’t make sense to me. I think Omar is the superior player and talk about talent that can be molded with a great EPL club. Omar is bursting with raw talent that needs to be tested at the higher level to really shine through.
This isn’t true. A team generally gets 66% of the of the transfer fee in allocation money which can then be used to go over the salary cap and minimum salaries. $2.6m is a lot of allocation money.
Ream is way below even the Arsenal standard for center backs.
+1, they sure have a type.
don’t the teams get half the transfer fee in allocation dollars under the new agreement? 2 million in allocation would be a huge deal.
Have you seen Arsenal’s back line lately? He’ll fit right in.
Am I the only one that thinks Ream could develop into a damn good CB, but would be better off staying for another year or two?
on a plane to Dallas
he actually is, he’s 6’3, fast, and pretty strong. perfectly built for the EPL
It’s going to be hilarious when he turns it around and all these people laughing are eating crow.
You are correct Vic
He’s a perfect Arsenal prospect, good passer, good composure on the ball, somewhat of a defensive liability – Wenger’s type of player. Outside of the fact that he doesn’t speak French.
Because Shea is so large and manly?
24 is not young in the soccer world
Well said. I was hating on ream for while now, but only cuz he gets called up everytime. When it comes to getting a deal with an epl team il root for him! Arsenal is smart to send a big scout as there are some great players out there in John, loyd, Shea, Ream, Agudelo, and others
hahahaha pinpoint passing? like the four turnovers that he has had a few yards from the box that turned into goals? the same skills that caused rafa to oust him? sure he is good but klinsman thought that maybe the exposure to high level would calm his nerves but they havent
This really seems odd. Ream has been very average, and at times very shaky for the MNT. As the article also points out, it has not been a particularly strong year for him w/ NYRB either. Why in the world would Arsenal be looking at him?? The only thing I can surmise is that they are looking for a player that could be potentially developed with their reserves. There’s simply no way I see Ream suiting up for the first squad at Arsenal
Yep. Kind of makes me ill.
And certainly you know better than 2 national team managers, Arsenal, and various other Euro clubs that haven’t been made public. Do you have a direct line to Wenger and Klinsmann, or do you need their cell numbers so that you can set them straight?
Where in the world is Danny Karbassiyoon?
Weird, in the article it says he was with the Chicago fire last year
I’d say he should head to the Dutch league or Danish league. Our defenders seem to do really well in the latter. If he heads to the PL, i can only figure he’ll be loaned out.
He is too old master… It isn’t the way of the jedi.
Ives, have you interviewed Ream? what does he want? where would he like to go and play?
Hmmm… Different name, same picture, comments separated by one minute each… Same guy laughing at his own joke? Forever alone.
Yeah, and it’s salary cap restrictions that are keeping them from doing that. As Ream makes next to nothing, losing him wouldn’t help. Remember, we’re dealing with Red Bull here. 4 million isn’t a huge deal to them.
Maybe this trip isn’t that interesting (at least not to Americans — it could be a different story if you weren’t American), but considering that a lot of trips are to Brazil, Argentina, interesting corners of Africa, I think that would have a lot of appeal to a certain kind of person.
It’s flattering that Ream is being scouted by Arsenal; however, I do believe he will be sitting the bench at arsenal for a few years… not sure if he is ready for the EPL grind yet. Will he be better served by sitting the bench for a few years? will sitting help him in the long run? will practicing with technically gifted players be better for him in the long run?
The truth is Ream is overrated and too error-prone to be considered as highly as he seems to be. Not hating just stating the obvious. He makes goal costing blunders at least once every couple of games and that’s just not good enough for MLS and surely not for the EPL or USMNT.
So he can pass from the back… That’s nice aside for those passes he gives directly to the opposing team forwards in dangerous territory.
I’m a red bulls fan. Not saying Ream can’t improve, but he surely isn’t EPL material.
I’d be shocked if Arsenal picks him up.
Logic? Logic has no place here… Get out now, while you can! Before they take it from you!
Ream indeed should be defended. Unfortunately, this season was a poor one. This is not when Wenger should come calling. Ream still has plenty to learn, hopefully from seasoned, hard nosed veterans. The weaknesses identified in Ream’s game are almost identical to those in Arsenal’s defensive game plan- passing acumen, but poor positional sense and lack of defensive bite. Is this the place for him to learn differently?
The idea of Ream playing for a top club is sensational, but then again, so was Gooch’s signing by Milan. I don’t think it’s hating to say he’s not ready yet.
I’m all for any MLS guy moving to the EPL, but Ream? Really? He’s so weak and dainty. How about Shea instead?
Red Bull is not in it for the money. $4 million dollars is nothing to them. Red Bull’s problem is not lack of money, but restriction of the salary cap. Tim Ream makes almost no money so it would not help them in the salary cap. They would essentially get $4 million dollars that they could not spend.
I wonder if its one scout or more than one. From what I remember Arsenal’s North American scout is American Danny Karbassiyoon, a former player in their youth system. I assume he attends alot of MLS games.
My exact same response. Laughter in contagious, right? BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA….
lol
The sad truth is some people feel this way, sick of the whole “Let’s only go where playing time is guarenteed.” mentality. Fighting for spots on great sides can be better than starting for a terrible underachieving team.
Or as they say over there BRILLIANT!
LOL
Did you watch the Carling Cup final last year?
Clearly Arsenal is looking to monopolize gaffe-prone Central Defenders, so they’re looking to add the best America has to offer in that category.
Definetly and he’s even stated that he feels much more comfortable with Keel, Marquez is a big part of the problem. Last year he was crushing as centerback partenered with Mendez and now this year he’s doing well with Keel. He has a huge upside and could be a great centerback if partnered with the right type of player.
Arsenal is actually coming to scout this Henry fella…
Yes, because Frisco is on the top of all international travel must-do lists.
I guess you can call Texas interesting… Comparable to visiting Iran, Syria, or some other religious, oppressive, hot, dry place…..
i for one hope for the complete and utter failure of the USMNT. lets hope our young players never go to big teams, learn, and get better. its funnier that way!