by GIANFRANCO PANIZO
Oguchi Onyewu is no stranger to the transfer rumor mill, but things are a bit different this time around.
Onyewu heads into this summer's transfer window a free agent, meaning he will be able to sign with any club he chooses. That also means that staying at Belgian champions Standard Liege is looking less and less likely for the U.S. national team defender, even as he has Liege on the verge of a second straight Belgian title.
Onyewu has long been linked with a plethora of clubs through the years, from Marseille to Chelsea, but he has continued to remain in Belgium, where he has played a major role in turning Standard Liege into a regular domestic title contender and strong UEFA Cup participant.
He is set to play in Standard Liege's season finale vs. KAA Gent on Saturday with the team needing a win to have a chance of securing a second straight league title (go here for an interview with Onyewu by USSoccer.com on the season finale). After the finale, it will be time for Onyewu to decide on his next club destination.
Onyewu has come a long way since a disappointing loan move to Newcastle United two years ago. After that debacle, Onyewu returned to Belgium and helped Standard record a 31-game unbeaten streak en route to winning its first Belgian league title in 25 years last season.
This season, Onyewu has contributed to the club's shared first-place position as they head into the final game of the year. Onyewu has provided solid defense all season long while also being a constant threat on set pieces. In fact, in league play this year, Onyewu has only amassed three yellow cards, the same number of goals he has scored for the club this season.
Regardless of his team's place in the standings after this weekend's matches, Onyewu's form over the past two seasons has clubs from all over Europe lining up to make bids.
So where will one of this summer's hottest commodities land during the transfer window? Well you can expect clubs such as Lyon, Olympique Marseille, Borussia Moenchengladbach, Fulham and Real Betis to rekindle their interest in Onyewu, but they should have competition from the new clubs to emerge with interest in Onyewu. The latest rumors from Europe have recently promoted English clubs Birmingham City and Wolves lining up bids.
Where do you see Onyewu playing next season? Is he destined to give the EPL another go? Will he head to the Bundesliga or Ligue 1? Are Spain or Italy good options for him?
Share your thoughts below.
Onyewu to Bolton to replace Shittu anybody?
Why are you all so sure Hangeland is leaving, he has said repeatedly that he is happy at the Cottage. I don’t see it happening. So no – not to Fulham.
Talk of Everton is laughable because Lescott and Jagielka are probably the 2nd best CB pair in the prem.
In the end I don’t care to much about CL (its not like Marseille, or any team Gooch could go to are going to win it.) But OM is one of the elite teams in its league which is respectable.
I foresee Birmingham offering him something good.
Marseille.
Gooch could probably start for any EPL squad 5 through 20. City, Everton, or Fulhham would be nice fits.
No way Gooch goes to Fulham unless Hangelnad leaves Fulham. If Hangeland stays at the Cottage (and he probably will if Fulham get the Europa League spot), barring and Aaron Hughes departure (not likely), then there will be no place for Gooch with the Whites. Gooch is a centerback, not a fullback.
He needs to go to EPL or La Liga. EPL is the most physical of the European Leagues, but La Liga is probably the most technical on attack. Gooch could reall benefit from La Liga play, on a mid-table team like Deportive or Racing Santander. Playing against La Liga strikers and midfielders will make Gooch the best centerback possible because he can take the physical side pretty well.
Arsenal needs a fullback.
Mark my words. It’s Gladbach in the BL provided two conditions are met: 1) Gladbach remains in BL and 2) Bradley stays. he would be a perfect fit with fellow Liege defender Dante. What more could he ask for and the tradition at MGB is a sight to see.
hahahahha. this post always gets me. but it’s nice because you can now tell who the mls homers are. people seriously want our starting center back playing in the mls?! wow. i’d love to see him in the epl so everyone can see how bad he is week in and week out. he will go to a mediocre team because he’s not that good of a player. bottom line.
I’d like to see him either go to Everton, Aston Villa, or Rennes, so he can play with his fellow national team defenders/keepers to improve their chemistry even more on the pitch.
Clearly, he fits in w/MGB in the BL1. To be partnered with his old friend Dante in the back and Bradley in front of him would make for a much more comforting atmosphere. That is, IF and only IF, 1) MGB remains int he Bl1 and 2) if Bradley to remains.
Toon Army? Are they An SBI Mafia spinoff?
He’s F’ing horrible.
-(signed) The Toon Army
C’mon guys, no brainer here. If he were to go to Marseille, not only would he be going to a club which would be in group stages of the CL, but also a club that needs another good CB. It is a perfect fit.
Bundesliga is only the most watched by STADIUM ATTENDANCE for the simple reason that they have the larger stadiums overall than EPL
Fulham.
Lyon. They need him more than anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He should play alongside Lescott at Everton.
Fulham would be nice. Rangers would be cool too. Ajax would be ideal for gooch. DC would suit me best but maybe not for another several years.
Wolves, wolves, wolves!
Homerism or sarcasm? I lean toward the latter.
Inter? Barça? Homerism abounds.
Alex, i hope that was sarcasm, i love gooch but better than lescott, and considerably better than Hughes, really?
WonsanUnited- he is to far along in his career to overcome his positioning problems and will end up looking like a Zak Knight/Titus Bramble clone in the EP and Roy H. has already taken a hard look at him and determined this. In the EP you get maybe 2 howlers a year and your gone-not suiting up or on the hard core fans hit list which will shatter your self belief in no time flat.There have been many stories on Fulham websites that are actually reliable to this effect.
As for Baird- they tried to sell him all season long with no takers but I do agree in limited minutes he looked much better.
Maybe the optimum word is limited minutes thus allowing limited opportunities for mistakes.
I think Gooch is ten million times better than hughes, but I think he definetly goes to england he could easily beat out lescott for a starting role.
I think the decision may be pushed back a while.
I think Belgium has a two legged playoff to determine the title in the even of a tie.
Way better system than GD or wins or GD in the two games. Anyway, if Standard and Anderlecht both get the same result, he’ll have two more games before he goes anywhere.
Wolves is the best fit for him.
Not holding my breath. How many times has this been a story? Too many. I’ll just wait until it ACTUALLY happens. If it ever does despite his free agent status.
Barca? Inter Milan? even Fulham? You gotta be kidding me. He’d be lucky to walk into a starting spot with the Wolves. Gooch is probably the most overrated player in US MNT pool.
I would really hate for him to go to a club that is relegated after one year… I think perhaps Marseille is a very good option instead of lower level epl
If Brede Hangeland leaves this summer, then Fulham should pick up Onyewu. It seems that Roy Hodgson does a good job working with defenders. Last year Chris Baird was arguably the worst defender in the EPL. In the little time he’s had on the pitch this season, he’s looked wonderful. Fulham kept a clean sheet against Spurs with him playing CB! Then look at how much someone like John Paintsil has improved under Hodgson. He was just thrown into the Bobby Zamora deal by West Ham and he’s been wonderful at RB. Phil Hughes has considerably improved and it seems that Hangeland really made some improvements over the summer under Hodgson. A move to Fulham would be great.
I’d like to see him on a club that will see some CL action next season. I like the OM myself, Lyon would be good too. Going to relegation fighters like Wolves or B City or bad moves. I understand the lure of seeing Yanks in the EPL, but clubs like Wolves are not the answer.
Philadelphia UUUUUUnion! He could come in, right near his home city of DC and dominate in MLS. He could be the face of a franchise and captain.
Dammit.
Sorry, didn’t see the second bump.
I think he should try to get to Xeres, they know what to do with top American talent…
I’d LOVE to see him at Fulham…but probably not the best for him.
I think he should go either to a weak-league CL team (Read: Ligue 1…OM?) or to a better league relegation-threatened team (read: BMG. Besides USMNT cent. def. pairing with USMNT DMF? Good things!) because he’ll be fighting off the top offensive players in the world, or at least in his league ALL the time.
Fulham, Barca?
What teams is Gooch good enough for – skilled enough, fast enough for?
One might fantasize that a good back becomes a great footballing back at some clubs like Barca, if they have the talent and fortune to get in there due to how they train, but that’s the ultimate. Some of the top EPL teams are probably on that same level.
Would Gooch be an upgrade at Fulham? Their defensive play has been good, bolstered by excellent team discipline That’s a nice environment for a center back to play in.
A team like Man Utd may be more challenging for a CB as the players exercise a lot more freedom generally.
It all comes down to what team needs a CB and is Gooch the guy for the job.
Ask him if he wants to live by San Francisco where their are cable cars, the Golden Gate Bridge and a soccer team near by that needs a back line.
We can’t pay him much, but at least he wouldn’t be accosted by fans in the street!
I believe he will end up in France which is about right for his skill set.
Him replacing Hangleland would be a huge mistake because he does no have the postioning sense or ball skills the Brende does. And Hangleland WILL LEAVE FULHAM this summer much to all of us Whites great saddness but money and ambition see him going to Spurs, Arsenel or Villa. Maybe even Liverpool.
I love Gooch and root for him but the truth is the truth.
Tommy,
In terms of spectators at the actual games, I do believe that the Bundesliga is the most “attended” league (due to several very large stadiums that are consistently filled to capacity), however, in terms of television viewership, the PL blows everyone else away…
I think Xeres is the best fit…
Love to see him with the boys at Fulham, but I do think either a weaker-league CL team (Read: France) or a relegation-threatened team (Read: BMG, besides teaming a US central defender and a US DMF can only be a good thing).