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A closer look at American players in club limbo

Jozy Altidore 3 (ISIphotos.com)

As European soccer moves into full swing in the coming weeks there are still a handful of American players with uncertain club futures across the pond.

Whether it's members of the U.S. World Cup team, players on the national team fringe, and at least one former prospect at a career crossroads, there is still plenty of uncertainty surrounding several foreign-based American players.

Here is an overview of the situations of some high-profile American players with their club futures in limbo:

Jozy Altidore (Villarreal)– There was serious interest from Turkish clubs, with Besiktas making a sizeable offer, but sources tell me Altidore wants to stay at Villarreal and there is a good chance he stays put. He has arrived in training camp in good shape and is working hard to show the new management at Villarreal that he is worth keeping. If he can't convince them to keep him, Altidore can always fall back to one of his Turkish club offers.

DaMarcus Beasley (Unattached)– Let go by Scottish club Rangers, Beasley is weighing a handful of offers from smaller European clubs. The biggest issue is Beasley's wage demands, or better said, his wage preferences. Beasley is finding out what so many other players are finding out this summer. The market just isn't that strong and teams aren't throwing around big money like in year's past. Beasley will land somewhere in Europe, it's just a matter of how much of a financial sacrifice he is willing to make.

Eddie Johnson (Fulham)– It seemed like only a matter of time before Johnson would leave Craven Cottage, but the arrival of a new manager (Mark Hughes) has bought him some time to make a good impression and earn a role with the Cottagers. A source close to Johnson suggests that no loan deals are in the works, so with just one year remaining on his Fulham deal, Johnson will either impress Hughes enough to make the first team (he's had a decent pre-season) or leave Fulham for good before the end of the month.

Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus)– With Feilhaber's Danish club demoted, it's only a matter of time before he leaves. Scottish club Rangers has an eye on him, while Feilhaber revealed that at least one Spanish club had expressed some interest. I can't imagine him staying with Aarhus at this point.

Jay DeMerit (Unattached) – Going from starting central defender in a World Cup second round match to a player without a club doesn't happen often but that's where DeMerit sits right now. He parted ways with Watford and is in limbo as the English season begins this weekend. His former Watford manager seemed to suggest that DeMerit might come back to the United States, but a move to another English club seems more likely.

Freddy Adu (Benfica)– It's tough to say a player's career is in dire straits at 21, but right now Adu is scrambling for a next move after having a trial with Swiss club Sion fall through. A return to MLS seems unlikely given his salary requirements, but you have to wonder where else in Europe he could turn at this point. He played well at times during his loan stint with Aris FC (where he apparently played in a friendly recently), which should help him land some nibbles in Europe. The question now is how low will Adu go to resurrect his career in Europe?

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What do you think of these players' situations? Where would you like to see Altidore wind up? Hoping DeMerit comes to MLS? What would you do if you were Freddy Adu?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. No DeMerit…He will get burned like he did in the World Cup in MLS.

    Time for Adu and Beasley to come back…Feilhaber could also possibly help

    Reply
  2. If Saturday’s result is any indication, Blackpool have more scoring power than you thought*… but I’ll take him PLAYING for any team in the EPL (or Championship for that matter) over not making the matchday squad for Fulham.

    * – or maybe Wigan is just way more terrible than we thought.

    Reply
  3. thats actually not entirely true, i watched the us soccer videos during the WC and DeMerit had some contacts before he made the move from his old club team coach. It wasnt as if he arrived with nothing but a dream. He did have to battle thru some tough times before getting to where he is now

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  4. i think adu is a little radioactive now. I was hoping Aris could be a place he could chill out for awhile and get some of the stink off him, but that doesn’t seem likely now.

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  5. heck I would make an arguement to make the american players who have been overseas into DP players. Philly don’t have one yet and they sure could use a centerback who wasn’t a chucklehead.

    Reply

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