Top Stories

Mid-Day Ticker: Stoke still in talks for Cameron, West Ham eyes Carroll, & more

Geoff Cameron (Getty Images)

By FRANCO PANIZO

Geoff Cameron has not hid his desire of playing in Europe, and Stoke City is still in the process of trying to make that dream become a reality.

Stoke are still in negotiations with MLS over possibly acquiring Cameron from the Houston Dynamo during the current transfer window, but recent reports have claimed the two sides were far apart on a transfer fee. MLS reportedly wants approximately $3 million for the U.S. men's national team defender, while Stoke originally offered around $1 million.

Still, Stoke is working on bringing in Cameron prior to the start of the Premiership campaign. The 27-year-old was in England for talks last week, but he returned stateside and helped Houston pick up a 4-0 victory over D.C. United on Sunday night.

Here are more stories from Monday:

WEST HAM LOOKING TO BID ON CARROLL

West Ham United is hoping to bolster its attacking options ahead of their return to the Premiership by acquiring Liverpool forward Andy Carroll. The Hammers are lining up an offer for Caroll, who has been linked with a move away from Liverpool in recent weeks. But West Ham reportedly only plan to take him on loan with an option to buy despite Liverpool's desire to sell him outright.

RODGERS TRIALING WITH PORTSMOUTH

Just days after the New York Red Bulls said they no longer intended to try and sign Luke Rodgers, the diminutive striker joined League One club Portsmouth for a trial. Rodgers is just one of several trialists the club currently has in a preseason training camp in Spain, and he is likely hopeful of latching onto Portsmouth after being let go by Norweigan outfit Lillestrom earlier this summer.

CHELSEA CLOSE IN ON INTERNACIONAL'S OSCAR

Reigning UEFA Champions League winners Chelsea are nearing a deal with Brazilian club Internacional over 20-year-old midfielder Oscar. Chelsea are reportedly close to signing Oscar on a transfer fee that could be the biggest ever in Brazilian soccer. Tottenham have also been linked with Oscar, but it appears Chelsea are the favorites to land him this summer. 

—–

How do you see the negotiations for Cameron between Stoke and MLS ending? Think the Hammers will land Carroll? Would Portsmouth be a good landing spot for Rodgers?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. If they stick with a variation of a 4-3-3, then Oscar will give them needed depth on the wings. Torres better look over the shoulder, though, as word is that Chelsea’s making a bid for Edinson Cavani.

    Reply
  2. Because they came to Dallas to watch Cameron live and he sucked it up. Because they watched the next game on video and he sucked it up. They then went back and watched all the other game videos this year and saw him suck it up.
    Its not until Cameron was switched to CM the last couple games that hes played well.
    His stock has dropped…CONSIDERABLY. Thats not Stokes fault and its not MLS’s fault. Its Cameron’s Its clear they still see the potential and want him but not for any big money.

    Reply
  3. I’d like for him to go to Europe, but you can’t let ‘Europe’ push MLS clubs around, Americans are already undervalued (typically), and sending the message that we’re desperate to sell them will only make future offers even more pathetic.
    Make them haggle a bit, at least.

    Reply
  4. George John has played very good this season his passing was a little off for his first two or three games back but considering he didn’t spend the preseason with the team. THERE IS NO POST WEST HAM TRANSER SLUMP

    Now last mid season when his blackburn offer didn’t finalize John played arguably the best 45min of his career (dominating on both ends and completing 100% of his passes) in the second half of a USOC game vs Seattle..which as it happens was played on THE SAME DAY HIS PLANE ARRIVED BACK FROM EUROPE!

    Fact is John played more minutes (MLS/CCL/USOC) then Shea did with his USMNT and FCD responsibilities. Sheas play was poor at the second half of last year and it was excused universally due to him having “tired legs”. Which is ok BUT
    why when Johns form dipped as Ives stated a few Q&A’s ago from GREAT to “good to very good” during this same grueling schedule he is in some post transfer slumpsulk mode?

    My point is grouping John into the same category as Klijestan or others who apparently started playing POORLY FOR WHATEVER reason after a failed transfer is just lazy and ignorant. The facts are out there in game reports, grades, highlights, and chalkboards. Stop being lazy and ignorant and repeating things you don’t KNOW yourself to be true.

    Reply
  5. Price. A fair price. That’s not what you say it is, and it’s not what I say it is… It’s what the market will bear. Now there’s people – and I know ’em – who’ll pay a lot more than $25,000 for a healthy baby. Why, I myself fetched $30,000 on the black market. And that was in 1954 dollars.

    Reply
  6. It’s obviously a philosophical difference. I’m in the camp that believes Cameron should go to England and show them American talent. To kill the deal over a million dollars is penny wise and pound foolish.

    Reply
  7. He is worth, what he is worth. Not what anyone paid.

    If it is decided on how much he was worth when he started, then Houston should keep him, they actually cared back then.

    Reply
  8. Agreed. We need great players in this league but we are nowhere near big enough for them to remain. WE can only develop them and let them prosper and sell them

    Reply
  9. Pedigree? A lot of players are over value because they are British, not pedigree. I bet Dempsey is not sold for a lot of money why, because he’s american and not pedigree.

    Reply
  10. Amen. It’s like Europhilic cheerleading. Free Geoff Cameron? Talk to Stoke. Even at $2.7 million he’s a bargain compared to a domestic prospect of the same order.

    One angle no one seems to want to talk about is I think Houston with upcoming option expense on Cameron would just as well dodge the whole thing at any price and sell out while MLS is probably more market-minded, where am I setting the league price for an all star defender now and future. Conflicting motivations.

    I think Houston doesn’t have the volume of talent to be selling players and remain competitive for trophies, but that’s a whole ‘nother story.

    Reply
  11. Sorry that is to low of a price for cameron. Pay up stop being cheap, 2.2 is not a lot of money that MLS want’s.

    Reply
  12. I still don’t understand why Chelsea would spend so much money on a player that is roughly the same kind of player as Hazard and Mata. Sure he’s young, but so are Hazard and Mata are not that much older…

    Reply
  13. You’re damn right they will. I still can’t fathom why on earth anyone at Liverpool approved a deal to buy him for 35 million pounds. Amazing. I’m not saying he’s a crappy player or anything, but that is just mind-blowing money for a player who had one great half of a season. I do feel bad for Carroll in all this…

    Reply
  14. Whether you consider MLS to be greedy or shrewd, fact is, if Stoke walks away it’ll be egg on Garber’s face. We need American MLS players going to Europe. It builds credibility, which leads to respect and viewership. Believe that’s worth more than $1 million in the long run.

    Reply
  15. Good eye bro, you should really become a scout for US Soccer because you seem to know so much more about the sport then the Roma coaching staff do. I hope your comment was a joke because he made 3 passes the whole video and if it isnt crawl back into that hole of yours and watch some of highlights of him at Chievo

    Reply
  16. So Liverpool wants to sell Carroll who they bought for a record high fee? I assume they’ll be losing a large chunk of change on that player.

    Reply
  17. Not sure that the $1 million is correct. Most British newspapers and the Houston Chronicle are reporting that Stoke offered around $2 million.

    http://www.chron.com/sports/dynamo/article/Dynamo-s-Cameron-in-starting-lineup-against-D-C-3708804.php

    Count me among the USMNT fans who hope the Cameron deal goes through and he gets to play in the Premier League. But if MLS nixes the deal, then Cameron really has no one to blame but himself, as he signed a 2-year contract extension with Houston that runs to the end of 2014. I do not understand why a player who aspires to play in Europe and who knows how finicky MLS is with transfers would put himself (and his career) in a position to be at their mercy. Like Brek Shea, who signed the very long extension (to 2016?). That guy is trapped and I will be surprised to see him ever play in Europe.

    In any case, this should be a clear warning to good players hoping to play in Europe not to sign on the dotted line of any contract extensions.

    Reply
  18. Why is it when it comes to a American player, they try to low ball that player, but when it comes to a over valued UK player, they overpay. 2.2 million is not a lot of money for Cameroon.

    Reply
  19. Yeah, I would like to see Cameron at Stoke, but at one million? You can’t just give away your product. If Stoke makes an increased offer to meet the valuation, and maybe MLS goes down a shade, then fine.

    Reply
  20. Dear lord people this is a business. MLS shouldn’t sell until the price is met or am agreement reached. Just because you guys think the play in the league is 2nd tier it does not mean the business side should be. Geoff has as much right to complain as Luka Modric does. If stoke want him pay up if not go spend 2 mill on some washed up English kid.

    Reply
  21. Stoke are definitely low-balling on Cameron. But for his sake, I hope a fair price can be negotiated.
    As we have seen throught MLS history, from Kljestan, EJ, Dempsey to George John – when a prospective transfer falls through, the MLS player’s form drops off.
    The same can definitely happen to Cameron if something doesn’t materialize.

    Reply
  22. Why does MLS do this? Let Pappa and Cameron leave!!!!!!!! Im so tired of MLS overpricing every player till the point where no one moves. MLS needs to be a feeder league for it to progress. Pappa should already be gone, Chicago should be recieving a nice bag of cash and Victor Pineda should be stepping up as Pappa’s replacement

    Reply
  23. And this is what 2nd tier EPL teams do..get a promising player hyped up to join the EPL and then lowball their club. I don’t think $1 million is reasonable for Cameron. When (if) Stoke get their offer up to reasonable levels then the deal will get done. Somewhere just over $2 million should do the trick.

    Reply
  24. Just sell him dammmit. Is this why noone can escape this league? This is what 2nd tier leagues are supposed to do..develop players, take reasonable offers, sell them, repeat

    Reply
  25. But please tell me MLS come to their senses. Settle at 2.2-2.5 million and let him go. Still way more cash received than they ever had to pay for him.

    Reply

Leave a Comment