Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com
Two American strikers are drumming up some transfer buzz in Denmark.
According to multiple reports out of the country, Danish Superliga club AGF Aarhus is looking at Charlie Davies and Chris Wondolowski as potential targets during the transfer window, which opens Thursday and lasts through the end of the month. The club has been in need of reinforcements at striker after Peter Graulund suffered a ruptured Achilles' tendon back in October.
Davies recently returned to FC Sochaux in France to train with the club that currently owns his rights. He had been on loan with D.C. United, but the club passed on its option to purchase his full rights.
Wondolowski, who has scored the most goals in MLS over the last two years, is currently in camp with the U.S. national team in Phoenix. He signed a new contract with the San Jose Earthquakes last February, though, and has hardy had his name touted on the European rumor mill despite his emergence.
Aarhus, which is on its winter break until March, is no stranger to Americans, with both Benny Feilhaber and Jeremiah White suiting up for the club within the last three years.
What do you think of this development? Could you see either player winding up at Aarhus? Do you think it would be a good move for either Davies or Wondolowski?
Share your thoughts below.
He just got a new 200k contract! a year ago, who is to say that they won’t offer him another raise?
I love Wondo, but do you really think after 1 hot year MLS should have given him 400k or a Dp contract?….. No, but now that he has two repeat years of performance he might get another raise
There is still something very wrong with MLS pay structure when a player like Wondo leaves for more money in Denmark.
So was it a winter loan, is he out of contract or would MLS let him leave for free because I thought Feyernoord had no money, literally.
Wondo is pushing 30 and just signed a better contract with San Jose a year ago (if I recall, about $200K, where he had been making under $50K) He doesn’t have many more years to pull in a more lucrative contract. As much as I would hate to see him go, I can’t see MLS turning down a big offer. Quakes win the league? I don’t think he should bet his future earnings on it. We went from worst to first when Donovan joined the club, but it would be a stretch to do it with the current team.
Good to see Chris get some looks overseas he fully deserves it. Wondo is a great MLS story. Say what you will about him but as the article points out most goals in MLS the last two years. Putting the ball in the back of the net is still the hardest thing to do in soccer.
My two cents is no way he goes. The Quakes are cheap but even they know that with a new stadium coming in 2013 they can’t let the most popular Quake player in the MLS era (along with Joe Cannon) take off to Europe. Wondo is a local kid who loves playing in SJ and does a lot of community work. I just don’t see him moving on.
I didn’t realize they were holding him at gun point against his wishes.
His agent should have had him sign a contract instead. Just trusting San Jose to pay him and trade him never works very well.
IF it goes that way, he can play his contract out and leave after, while thanking San Jose for having confidence in his abilities while others waited to see.
Really tough to see Wondo going to Aarhus after he turned down a move to Feyenoord last off-season. Yes this was confirmed on a Chronicle Live interview recently with Ray Ratto. Ratto kept urging Wondo to leave the Quakes and go overseas and Wondo just kept saying he was happy here and is focused on winning a title with San Jose.
would be a good move for either. i hope davies can get back on track there! although, i’d rather have him back at DCU!
Davis did well in Northern Europe when he played in Sweden. I think a move to Denmark would be good for him.
I think that it would be a good move for CD9. Get some playing time and back into form, and hopefully be able to help out with WCQ.
That’s damning with faint praise. The usmnt striker pool as a whole is pretty abysmal.
Our consensus top choice is still an unproven 21 year old. He could be great eventually, but for most countries he would be a prospect trying to displace more established veterans.
After jozy, it’s back up by an as yet undistinguished committee.
Look how that turned out.
Wondo is a bargain. I know this for a fact because I bought him for peanuts in FIFA 12. 😉
trialing at Montreal was the last that I’ve heard
Feilhaber played in a World Cup while playing for AGF. I’d say that was a pretty good run with the national team.
Crazy if he really turned down a real transfer there. Right league, coach and a huge (sleeping) team.
Good for them, especially Wondo. If he goes, I think we’re gonna see quite a few goals out of him. Every time I see Wondo in person (three times now) I appreciate him a lot more. He gets in great spots and stays really calm when his chance comes. Imagine him with better service and I think he’ll surprise some people. That said, I hope he doesn’t go, because I like the Quakes (2nd fav MLS side) and think their prospects are looking up for the coming season.
As for Davies, he needs the move more, even though I don’t think he’ll score as many goals as Wondo would. What kind of wages are we talking about, though?
Starla, he was interviewed on Chronicle Live in the Bay Area on Comcast Sports and made that statement.
I can see either of those 2 doing well there.. However when was the last time a US player in Denmark moved up to a bigger team? Or had a good run with the national team while playing in denmark?
And I turned down Real Madrid yesterday.
Agreed. Although I wonder how much the MLS says they sign a 4-5 year deal or get nothing, similar to what I remember Lee Nguyen being offered several years ago before he went to Vietnam. If a player really wants to play in Europe, better to sign the short term deal, even in a lesser league, than to sign a long term deal and have no control over where you go and when you are sold
Wondo said he turned down Feyenoord last year, why would he go to AGF now? Not happening.
Edson Buddle just made that switch in 2010.
And players just keep signing long contracts. And 4 or 5 year rookie contracts in a league with cap where the teams have no incentive to sell! Who are their agents? Insane
That’s a name I haven’t heard in a while: Jeremiah White. Wonder what he’s been up to…
Hopefully MLS doesn’t hold Wondo hostage. Pay him more or sell him. European players start crying because they want to go to a team to win titles or play in Champions League. Even though their current team will match the salary. In MLS the message is we won’t match nor will we sell. Stay here and play for peanuts!
Good for Wondo. Happy to at least see him get some Euro-buzz even if he remains in MLS.
My guess Davies will be heading to Aarhaus. He is younger and has more potential than Wondo. I think this will be good for Davies.
Wondolowski, imo, is one of the most underrated strikers in our forward pool
Would be really astonished to see a lifelong American MLSer wind up in Europe. Doesn’t really happen too often. Wondo fully deserves it though.
Seems like a good potential move for Davies. Wondo too, if they are willing to buy out his contract; I’m sure SJ is not looking to sell.
It’s all about playing time. Davies, especially, needs it.
that guy*
Send em both there. They could become Superliga legends as strike partners – until they face Parkhurst – hat guy never gives up goals!