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UPDATED-Anderlecht completes Najar transfer

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By IVES GALARCEP

The on-again, off-again, transfer of Honduran national teamer and D.C. United standout Andy Najar is back on again, with D.C. United and Belgian club Anderlecht agreeing on a transfer for the former MLS Rookie of the Year.

Sources with knowledge of the deal have confirmed to SBI that D.C. United and Anderlecht are putting the finishing touches on a deal that would keep Najar with Anderlecht, where he is nearing the end of a month-long loan to the reigning Belgian champions.

UPDATED– D.C. United announced the completion of Najar’s transfer on Wednesday afternoon, with sources putting the transfer deal at $3.1 million with added bonus and sell-on clauses.

The 2010 MLS Rookie of the Year, Najar leaves D.C. United after three seasons with the club. A stint that saw him go from dangerous winger to more recently a starting right back. He is expected to return to his more natural midfield role at Anderlecht.

What do you think of this development? See Anderlecht being a good move for Najar? Surprised to see D.C. United part with a young talent like Najar?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Very sad to lose Andy, but happy that he is in Europe. Not sure why they would play him in midfield. He was miles better as a right back.

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    • Some say he’s a winger who played RB for a little while. Time will tell. I think his best position would depend on the team and style.

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  2. Yeah, now D.C. cna actually spend money to improve the squad. As I see it, they look weaker going into the season.

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  3. As a DCU fan I’m sorry to see Najar go on many levels. Academy kid, talented player, stylish, a real plus to any MLS team.

    As an MLS fan, I’m happy to see this happen. Kevin Payne talked about this 2 years ago. He said he hoped to eventually see a DCU team that started 8 academy players, maybe 1 draftee and then 2 guys purchased from overseas clubs. And that the team would make decent coin by selling off players developed through the academy/youth ranks.

    MLS clubs can only make so much money through fan/ticket sales. Okay, maybe having a SSS allows you to have concerts or tractor pulls and make money that way (plus the other bennies–you don’t lose parking and concession revenue). But MLS is a long way from making media money ala NFL or MLB, let alone the NFL. So if every team could make $3-8 million a year selling off players they developed (while still growing enough talent to not regress), that’s an important income stream for MLS clubs (that basically isn’t available to other major US sports).

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    • very true

      DC may not be a perfect club but we are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay closer to making that happen than most teams in MLS

      proud that the team has made it a priority…

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  4. Top to bottom I think the Belgian league is not that far ahead of MLS (if at all)? I see it as a more technical brand, with a little more nuance in terms of tactics etc – and a shot at lining up in champions league! Great exposure and career progression, reflects well on all parties

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    • Quality wise you may be right, there are some MLS teams that could compete with certain Belgian teams.

      However, Anderlecht has a few additional things going. An established brand, for developing and selling good talent to some of the best leagues, weaker work permit rules than most of Europe and European football (be it Champions league and/or Euro League).

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      • Aside from the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, and the German 1.Bundesliga, every league is a development league.

        Heck, the last three of those are a stretch because all the good players there end up on the same 2 or 3 table-toppers, or get sent to the EPL.

        The old “development league” argument is stupid. Just stupid. MLS is not catching up to those leagues for decades, if ever. At this point, becoming a popular target for players to send to big name clubs can only help the league pull in more hidden gems to develop.

      • in a decade MLS we will be as good a league as Turkey/Greece. in 20years we will be good a league as France. 40years we will be the best league on the planet

      • Being a true “feeder” league is the next step for MLS to continue it’s growth.

        I’m not naive in believing we’ll be the EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga or even Serie A anytime soon.

        I find your sarcastic “That is great if you want to be a development league.” remark uninformed/unrealistic.

  5. It will be interesting to see if Anderlecht offer more for Najar than Stoke is offering for Shea. (Rumored to be about 3.5 million.) I would guess probably less since the Belgian league is not as rich as the BPL. Still, this move reiterates to young Central and South Americans that if you do well in MLS then a move to BPL is within the realm of possibility.

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    • We’d be very happy to welcome him at Anderlecht. I seriously doubt Anderlecht will pay 3.5 million though. Sources around here speak of about 2 million.
      Apparantly the manager said that the asking price was too high, but the coach was convinced of Najar’s qualities so he insisted on increasing the bid.
      It’s still a crisis in European soccer though and Anderlecht is a Belgian team, not a Russian team, so 2 million is a nice price for a talented player.

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      • Yeah BENELUX teams always get players cheap and turn around after 1 – 2 years sell them for double to triple the price of their investment. MLS should stick to their guns or have clauses which give them % of future transfers.

  6. No surprise.I viewed his one-month loan as an extended trial to allow Anderlecht a little time to make 100% sure he was the guy they wanted. In addition, it probably gave Anderlecht some insight into structuring the bid —- i.e. what kind of money to offer DCU/MLS.

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    • As a United fan, I’m sad to see him go. However, I’m glad to see one of our homegrown players excel in Europe and make the jump. DC!

      He will leave a large hole in our starting XI. I’m getting worried about our team now…

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    • i wouldn’t worry too much. I think moving forward najar will be a fullback, or a wing player, neither of which kljestan plays. Yes, sometimes he plays wide, but he doesnt play as a winger. Plus, at this point, Kljestan has a nice role on the team.

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    • Why is that? The team gets better results when Sacha’s on the pitch. Multiple coaches have now found that out by benching him. Every time he’s worked his way back into the starting lineup.

      Reply

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