There have been plenty of stories circulating this week, and particularly today, regarding Americans plying their trade abroad, and it's time to catch everyone up on the latest:
Michael Bradley has NOT completed a transfer to Aston Villa, despite reports out of Germany suggesting otherwise. His New York-based agent, Ron Waxman, categorically denied the reports, calling them untrue. As it stands, Aston Villa is without a manager, and while I'd still bet on Bradley winding up at Villa, it's a safe bet that a Bradley transfer won't be completed until a manager is named. That only makes sense when you're talking about a potential 5 million Euro transfer.
Despite some earlier reports out of Turkey suggesting that Jozy Altidore might stay with Bursaspor, sources have told SBI that there is no chance of Altidore returning to the Turkish club. He remains under contract with Villarreal, but is considering options from elsewhere in Europe.
Herculez Gomez is being dealt to Estudiantes Tecos, but the transaction has yet to be finalized. The original reports had Gomez and Braulio Luna heading to Tecos from Pachuca for Mauro Cejas. A source with knowledge of the deal tells SBI that the trade is, in fact, Gomez for Cejas and cash considerations, and that Luna is heading to Tecos in an unrelated move.
Brad Friedel has yet to make a move, but Fox Soccer Channel will reveal news on Friedel's future on tonight's Fox Soccer Report (10pm). One things seems clear with Friedel, he won't be returning to Aston Villa. I reported on Twitter two weeks ago that sources had told me Friedel would sign with Tottenham, while reports last week had Friedel signing with Liverpool. We'll find out tonight just where he will go.
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What do you think of these developments? Hoping Bradley stays at Villa? Where would you like to see Altidore wind up? Who do you see Friedel signing with?
Share your thoughts below.
Pachuca
Here’s a few reasons:
1. He has a horrible first touch.
2. He is lazy on the pitch.
3. He hasn’t scored a great goal ever (that Spain goal at the Confed. Cup was a side pass kick that should have been stopped)
4. He doesn’t pressure the opponent’s defense to force errors on their part.
5. He doesn’t have a knack for scoring goals.
Do you need any other reasons?
Yeah, and I want to win the Lottery. But neither of those things are realistically going to happen.
Jozy is not good enough.
Jozy couldn’t “kill” in England, Spain or even Turkey for crying out loun. What makes you think he could “kill” in France?
Sorry, but he’s overrated.
He should come back to the MLS.
Bradley needs to be very careful on his next move. Glachbach loaned him out at a time they were battling for their lives, to stay up in the Bundesliga…..Villa kept him off the bench of a while while they were struggling for position in the EPL. Now they are getting a new boss, who’ll be coming in with his own plan, his own ideas and players in mind?? Can someone say Adu and Benefica??
He started coming off the bench for Glachbach, got loaned out, struggled to make the bench for Villa. I think it says a lot about his game/form/composure right now. He needs to get it together, somewhere they NEED him, not just where they want him, and villa is not it.
I want jozy to go to a top level league and get great playing time.
that i can see working very well.
Any word on DMB going to Mexico?
FRANCE! FRANCE! FRANCE! SEND JOZY TO FRANCE!!!!! he’d kill on a side like PSG or Lyon….
There are a couple of German strikers who have always had trouble with their club situations, but wind up first-choice and step their game up when they put on the German nats shirt. I like to think of Jozy the same way.
From what I saw of BMG in the first half of the season, I think they played MB too far back in the MF. When he looked great for Heereven (I think I am missing some E’s in there), he was further up the pitch. That way, he could get in late in the box after the play, which lead to like ridiculous 18 goal tally, and his defensive mistakes weren’t nearly as costly. BMG played him more as a DMF which he isn’t really.
I don’t know if Villa can afford “world-class” players – there’s already talk about them selling Ashley Young. If they were in the “buying” mode, I doubt they’d be selling one of their best attacking players, and they wouldn’t be letting Friedel go neither I suspect.
Villa getting a new manager is a good thing for Bradley in one respect. Whomever comes in, will have a definite opinion on Bradley, and if he does sign, you KNOW he’s in the manager’s plans.
Well, they won their playoff, so actually BMG is in 1.BL next season. As for staying up, well, wouldn’t bet on it.
Then again, Wigan is still in the EPL after all these years.
My bad… I guess several clubs w/ Americans playing on them lucked out this season in avoiding relegation (Wolves, Blackburn, AV, Gladbach, etc.). Pretty much all of them but West Ham.
IS Gladbach getting a new coach?
I have to keep asking the same question …. If Jozy is all that, an automatic starter on the Nats these days, why can’t he stick ANYWHERE?
There is something very wrong here
My company is based out of Monchengladbach…and I had the crazy pleasure of being not only at the relegation match (1 nil victory in literally the final play) at Borussia Park…but also watched the 2nd leg at B Park on a big screen…about 13,000 fans showed up.
I am a Bradley fan…but the consensus there was he disappointed this season. They loved him last year but they said he seemed to play hurried and scared this season, releasing the ball nearly as quickly as he received it. They thought his distribution stunk. As a person…they really like him but not a fan I spoke to thought he would be coming back.
For the record, I have been to a ton of matches home and abraod…but that relegation match was absolutely the craziest thing I have ever witnessed in soccer. Closest thing to it is SEC Football. Best part…they let you stay in the stadium post-match…and they allow you to buy beers long…long after the match is over.
“if/when they sell Rossi to Barcelona”
Um… Rossi too?
I would bet they use some of the gigantic transfer fee to sign another forward. Even if not, he seems to be behind Nilmar, Ruben, and that guy they lent out to Levante…Jefferson something or the other. In my opinion, he should try to catch on for a decent team in the Dutch League or something.
Haha
And Tottenham just signed Friedel.
Seems like that “idiot” was right.
The latest post by SBI tonight mentions that Friedel will look to keep his consecutive EPL games intact so this opportunity (v. serving as a backup to Reina at Liverpool) + Europa league play + perhaps? a bigger payday v. backup at Liverpool seem like a great move. He is a beast and I’m looking for more great saves (except when Spurs play Liverpool :-))
and Tupac is alive and well in NZ!
Any chance Jozy sticks with Villareal if/when they sell Rossi to Barcelona? I mean, he may not start, but…
Don’t let your ignorance keep you from stating a bunch of inaccurate facts.
Same goes for the Gladbach is in the B2 guy above.
I seem to recall that at one point Friedel had a Premiership “consecutive games started” record. Is that record still intact – and growing? And could that be a factor with his choice of teams?
Gladbach, in fact, is not headed to the 2. Bundesliga. They won the relegation/promotion playoff.
Gladbach is headed to the 2. Bundesliga. Better to be at Villa and work his way into the starting lineup by impressing whoever replaces Houllier.
So much fail…
There is so much wrong with this paragraph. Jones was on loan from Schalke. Gomes is not the Liverpool #1…that would be Pepe Reina.
Was Jones sold recently, because he was definitely on loan.
Jermaine Jones was a sale from Schalke to Blackburn. The UK papers have Friedel going to Tottenham over Liverpool as Redknapp has stated that Friedel would most likely be the No. 1 keeper. Gomes is still No. 1 at Liverpool, so Friedel would have to beat out Gomes or sit. Bradley’s age, more than his appearances for AV, seem to tip in his favor as AV are looking to bring in more youth and a “bird in hand”..etc.
You can take this to the bank. Whoever takes over at Villa will splurge for several world class midfielders and Bradley will be relegated to reserve matches.
No coach is going to risk their livelihood on the previous coach’s fringe bench players. He will make transfer market splashes.
Bradley to Villa is a high risk/ high reward situation. New manager, probably a lot of Player turnover. Will be interesting to see what happens.
What about J Jones? He’s still owned by Schalke, no?
very interesting. i’d be fine with bradley at AV or Gladbach. I just really hope he can find PT at Villa. As for Jozy, would be nice for him to get a chance at Villarreal finally…
I may have missed this, but what’s the deal with Adu’s situation? Will he be going back to Turkey?