Photo by ISIphotos.com
U.S. national team goalkeeper Brad Guzan secured his UK work permit on Friday, winning an appeal that now completes his $1.5 million transfer to Aston Villa.
The decision comes some seven months after Guzan had his work permit application rejected when he was in the midst of a then $4 million move to Villa. His appearance in most of the U.S. national team’s matches in 2008 helped him secure a percentage of appearances close enough to the necessary 75 percent to have his appeal granted.
Last year’s MLS goalkeeper of the year, Guzan has come a long way from his rookie season, when he faced barrage after barrage of shots as the starting goalkeeper for then-expansion club Chivas USA. He overcame the rough baptism to develop into one of the league’s best.
Now Guzan joins fellow American Brad Friedel on a Villa squad that should be one of the top six teams in the English Premier League this season. Currently with the U.S. Olympic team in Hong Kong, Guzan will join up with Aston Villa once the United States is finished with Olympic play later this month.
Still just 23 (he turns 24 next month), Guzan will work as Friedel’s apprentice, with a good chance of developing into the club’s starter once the 37-year-old Friedel retires (or moves to MLS).
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