Edson Buddle's European venture has come to a screeching halt.
Despite Buddle scoring six goals for FC Ingolstadt this season, the club released him from his contract Tuesday for unspecified reasons. Buddle had been sent away from the team prior to the 2. Bundesliga's winter break, the first indication that his time in Germany may have been coming to a premature close.
What's next for Buddle remains to be seen. He had trained with West Ham and was on trial with Everton, but neither of those stints amounted to transfers. He was also reportedly on trial with relegation-threatened Westerlo in Belgium, but nothing came of it. Because he is out of contract, he should be still be eligible to sign with clubs in Europe outside of the transfer window, so Tuesday's deadline is not a deal-breaker for any potential move abroad.
It should be noted that when Buddle left the Los Angeles Galaxy following the 2010 MLS season, it was on a free transfer, meaning that the Galaxy were not given a fee for him and that the club should retain his MLS rights, should he return to the league.
When Buddle left the Galaxy a little more than a year ago, he said in a team statement that "I am hopeful that one day I will be able to return to the Galaxy and help lead them to an MLS Cup championship."
It is possible that return may be coming sooner than he initially imagined.
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Do you hope to see Buddle return to MLS? Disappointed that he is done at Ingolstadt?
Share your thoughts below.
Welcome home, Edson!
His tear in 2010 was one of the hottest streaks I have ever seen…amazing goals.
OK, maybe Alan Gordan 2.0. He’s OK as a guy to bring in to bang and close out a game with a lead, but he’s not starting material in MLS.
Great news….LA desperately needs a 2nd Striker for Champions League.
If Keane goes down or has international dates, who would they start? Cristman and Barrett? Landon is needed on the wing where he is most dangerous.
Hmmm….I’d think he’d have to go into a league-wide lottery (for USNT players). If so, that might explain why only Portland showed interest in Renken.
We get all of them. Galaxy ’till I die! (Or we get a team in San Diego)
Wow, good catch–I didn’t even notice that.
Doubt it is $$$ related. Ingolstadt are bankrolled by Audi.
Yeah you’re right bud, everyone’s just a racist on this site i guess
i also believe they had a coaching change and the new coach didnt rate Buddle even though he was tied for lead in goals with team! go figure
Thought I would never see the day I would ever be agreeing with Chris, but captain obvious Beasley is a very skilled player. He broke his leg and it messed up his career and set it back a little. But now he is doing good in Mexico.
Philly could use him now, but he’s LA’s to refuse if I understand the article.
“Exactly how many DPs does LA get to have?”
17 or however many Bruce needs to get the job done. kinda like injury time for Man U
Captain Obvious, in the future please give us your definition of skill before you make trollish statements like this or save us the carpal tunnel in responding to you by shutting your crackerhole (it’s a little like a pie hole but dummer).
Every soccer nation is littered with youth prospects that don’t pan out, but you’ve listed several players who are in the midst of quite successful careers, so I’m not sure what you’re even going on about.
lol beas? u remember 2002? come on bruh.
I think Vancouver should pick him up.
The amount that the league allows. 2 Plus a 3rd DP slot which they had to pay for and that money gets distributed among teams without 3 DPs. Why do people feel the need to keep coming up with the DP of LA Conspiracy theories. Buddle wouldn’t come as a DP, and with a few players retiring and maybe cutting Adam Christman’s 40-50K they should be able to pay Buddle around 150-200K. Buddle would NOT be a DP. The 3 DPs are Donovan, Beckham and Keane, get over it
Tied with Moritz Hartmann, with 6 apiece. Yes, it’s good, but ESPN is reporting that there “was a fitness issue”. I don’t know if it’s Ronaldo fat, maybe just Würstchen fat, but nothing like a locker room cancer.
I heard it was $$$ related. Ingolstadt is circling the drain of 2.Bundesliga.
+1
Come home Edson!
exactly
Wasn’t there a training issue?
Snacking on Bundesliga 2 defenses. Wasn’t he their leading scorer?
I second that. #FreeLandon !!!
Okay. He’s no Alan Gordon, but give the guy a break. If you want to blame anyone, blame Bruce for putting him out there.
And yes, I agree. He’s just not that talented.
The only thing obvious here is something I don’t want to accuse you of.
In any case Buddle may have a lethargic style of play, but you cannot say he has no skill.
Watch some of his goals. Heck… watch his last goal for the USMNT. That requires technique.
Beasley has had his shaky moments, but you don’t become a starter in the Mexican league without some skill.
Just ask JFT, Hercules Gomez, Bornstein, and all the rest.
Buddle has a very good technical skills, I’m sure is something else that is causing teams to take a pass on him, it may be his lack of work rate during practice, who knows.
he got fat
I’m guessing salary, Buddle has never seemed like a hot head. That, or they have issues with goal scorers.
I had the same gut reaction to that post…
Does anybody know what Buddle did that essentially got him fired from his gig at Ingolstadt? Or was he just a “locker room cancer?”
Figure out what?
What’s your freaking point? That Eddie Johnson, who played at Fulham and Damarcus Beasley, who played at PSV are the same guys as Johann Smith and Quavas Kirk?
Or, is your point that you’re very good at naming black American soccer players and lumping them all together?
As a Soundser fan I do NOT want to see Buddle return to LA.
Edson, they have a Superleague in India now…See if you can get a payday!
That sux. At least he got to play for the first half of the season.
We have 12 this year.
That’s what I thought. #freelandon
I’m thinking more like scrap metal and some boulders.
Hope he’s right.
Exactly how many DPs does LA get to have?
They may no get a Bowflex or treadmill, but I don’t think some metal plates and an exercise ball is out of question.
While I agree with your general complaint about placing too much emphasis on “explosiveness” vs. “knows how to play”.
Placing DMB and MLS’s leading goal scoring on that list is … absurd.
Psssh, good luck with that. Dumbells aren’t that cheap.
Buddle is very technical so is Beasley. I can tell you know nothing about soccer
Keane and Buddle would be nasty! Hopefully they can trade Cristman for some workout equipment
Another great American athlete with no skill
Eddie Johnson, Robbie Findley, Demarcus Beasley, Gale Agboussomde, Marvell Wynne, Johan Smith, Quavas Kirk, Jeff Cunningham
How long do we have to keep putting up with this? At some point US Soccer coaches and scouts are going to have to figure this out on their own
He and Eddie Johnson should start a team together.
buddle and keane would be nasty togther. Hopefully he saved some of the money from that big contract.
Vote Keane-Buddle 2012!
Greg Seltzer is reporting that he’s already on his way back to LA. Nothing final, but Seltzer says he has multiple sources saying it’s pretty much a done deal.