Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com
For the other 18 teams in MLS, knocking the Los Angeles Galaxy off their perch atop the league just became a bit more difficult.
U.S. national team forward Edson Buddle is rejoining the Galaxy after being released from his contract with FC Ingolstadt 04 on Tuesday, sources told SBI. Los Angeles maintained his MLS rights following his free transfer to Ingolstadt last January, and the club will welcome him back into the fold for what is shaping up to be the league's most potent attack. In 2010, his last season in MLS, Buddle scored 17 goals, finishing second to Chris Wondolowski for the league's golden boot.
With Buddle starting alongside Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan and David Beckham occupying spots in the midfield behind them, the Galaxy will have a wealth of All-Star-caliber attacking talent. Buddle also provides more than ample cover for when Keane has to leave the club for Republic of Ireland duty at Euro 2012.
Despite all of the star power on the roster, the Galaxy are able to afford Buddle by shedding a good chunk of salary from the books this offseason with the losses of players like Juninho, Donovan Ricketts, Jovan Kirovski and Gregg Berhalter. Los Angeles also received allocation money from Montreal in exchange for Ricketts to boost its financial flexibility, something that helped facilitate bringing Buddle back to the Home Depot Center.
Buddle played for the Galaxy from 2007-2010 before heading overseas to Ingolstadt last winter when his MLS contract expired, joining the 2. Bundesliga club midseason. He helped Ingolstadt stave off relegation and was tied for the team's lead in goals this season with six before being sent away from the club for unspecified reasons prior to the league's winter break.
While in club limbo, Buddle trained with West Ham and was on trial with Everton and Belgian side Westerlo before ultimately returning to MLS.
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What do you make of Buddle's return? Think the Galaxy are a lock to repeat as MLS Cup champions?
Share your thoughts below.
LA won’t spend more than 300 K on him. He could have made half a million even playing in Denmark or Norway. Why no Belgian or Turkish interest? But good to have u back
Beckham’s defensive pressure is still underrated…When he is fired-up, he is a ball-winner
That was red meat for those who pounce on dumb posts.
…and teams like Vancouver, TFC, and Chicago have seriously upgraded their talent. IF NY gets that 3rd DP, they will be in the mix also.
Houston is doing it differently. Two good Superdraft picks, a crazy big and good Supplemental draft haul, plus trialist Darryl Roberts. Also Sturgis.
Plus, they did take a run at Boyd. They’ll find another target. Kinnear is the best in the league at this.
Based on what Bruce has said…
Beckham is the Juninho replacement and will play deeper to get more of the ball and start the team going forward. While, Sarvas will play higher up the field replacing Beckham’s role from 2011.
At least they are shooting for a DP…They should have made a serious run at Gio Dos Santos, he would have been a perfect fit for the new stadium.
LA Galaxy was third in the league in goals scored last year. It’s hard to see how Buddle would necessarily take them to first. KC and Seattle haven’t gotten any less potent on the attack.
Senior roster out: 6 players at $728,125
Berhalter ($96,000)
Birchall ($157,125)
Hejduk ($96,000)
Juninho ($100,000)
Kirovski ($84,000)
Ricketts ($195,000)
Senior roster in: 4 players
Buddle
Noble
Noonan
Sarvas
Barrett wasn’t as terrible as Cristman was last season, but he is still injured. And why is Pat Noonan on the squad?
They can extend the loan until the summer and then buy him. Somehow they can get around the transfer window issue, i do know that much.
I wouldn’t think that’s an issue since he was with the team on loan before the transfer window, but I’m no expert on the minutiae of FIFA rules.
No, Landon is best on the wing for every team he plays on. His pace is needed in midfield, but I’m sure there will be times when they push him up.
Let’s not forget, Buddle/Donovan was a deadly duo in 2010.
Agree about the defender, but Marcelo Sarvas is a better attacker than Juninho. The Galaxy will miss Juninho’s big goals though. Without him, they aren’t the champs or in the KO rounds of Champions League.
Gonna be hard this year. A LOT of teams are seriously upgrading.
Unfortunately, my Dynamo doesn’t seem to be one of them…
At this rate, DCU will bring in Eddie Johnson.
This is going to be 2008 LA Galaxy all over again… score the most goals in the league and concede the most.
Sarvas is the Juninho replacement.
and salty!
This is a better situation then when he left LA. He will get even more chances now. If he gets hot like he did in 2010, he is a guy that can help score some desperately-needed goals for the US.
You know what? You’re absolutely right.
We still need a defender… and a Juninho replacement.
I don’t know if he has the sort of Magee/ Keane/ Becks/ Donovan-type crispness that got them the MLS Cup winning goal and the silverware. He scored plenty of goals but the team didn’t win the big ones when he was there.
Personally, I’d start Landon and Keane up top and sub in Buddle.
I’m surprised he didn’t land somewhere in Europe. His performance on the field wasn’t the problem, it seems a second-division club needing a few goals to win promotion could have used him.
“brining Buddle”
Oh, is that to keep him juicy?
I don’t know the answer to your question but have you seen LD’s FB page? The Everton fans are literally begging him to stay…
if i were LAG i’d just dump Chad Barrett and his $225K plus salary cap hit and you’d be more than halfway to paying Buddle even the max $400K.
Barrett is about as useless as tits on a boar … and the Galaxy already have Cristman to be their useless can’t finish worth a darn striker but for much much less.
Their midfield is stacked, but they will be weaker defensively through the middle without Omar, Juninho, and Ricketts in defense.
They can’t think Andrew Boyens will replace Gonzalez. What happened to Alex Bruce from Leeds?
With the way Donovan has been playing, there’s no question they’d love to keep him, but everton has virtually no money, which is why they were trialing huddle. I’m sure in an ideal world mls and everton could work something out, but its not, and they won’t. What’s interesting though, is that Donovan has never said one way or another where hed like to play.
Winter transfer window is closed. So no chance they can workout a deal now. Summer is another story.
The article points out their personnel turnover, which opens cap space. However if you blow 4-5 players’ cap space on a DM and Buddle, that has to affect the quality of the remaining 2-3 guys you sign to fill the roster. They need to avoid the situation of old (Gullit era) where they had way too much money tied up in too few players.
I think Buddle’s overrated and his single season stats from his breakout year were a figment of a good LA team…..but he’s back with LA, so perhaps that criticism is less meaningful. If he was back with TFC or off in Vancouver or something, I think we might be back talking about the old, “Buddle …… nooooooo ….. how do you miss that.”
Personally I don’t think he’s the guy to help the Nats but he had dropped down Klinsi’s pecking order, and this sticks him right back under his nose. If he produces he will be able to argue he deserves his chances.
I’m a Fire fan, but I want LA (and the other MLS clubs) to do well in CCL – so this should help them. But they still need to replace Omar Gonzalez – their defense is going to remain shaky until they do that.
Well, he hasn’t played in any champions league, let alone concacaf champions league, so that won’t be an issue
Everton can suck it…
I was wondering if a return to the Galaxy might be possible. I guess so. If the Galaxy can shore up their defense and midfield, they will be dangerous.
“Buddle and the rest of the LA Galaxy will play their first official game of 2012 on Wednesday, March 7 when they face Toronto FC in the first leg of their 2011/12 CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal, which will be played at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.”
I was hoping Everton would sign him. Oh well, this is good for the Galaxy. I’m interested to see him and Keane together.
hahaha +1
Is there any possibility that Donovan stays at Everton? i assume not but wanted to ask the forum here…
Considering that Ingolstadt hasn’t been a part of CONCACAF for years now. I don’t think there will be a “cap tied” issue….
Niiiiiiiiice. 🙂
the opposite of how bruce likes his teams…lots of ability to score, but what might be a shaky d.
Great move by LA to bring a proven scorer back in the fold.
They aren’t a lock for MLS Cup because other teams have improved as well.
The big question is if he is he is cup-tied for CCL. They will need all the firepower they can get to win. The next round will be no cakewalk with a much-improved TFC, especially up north.
the article explains this pretty well.
Why you no read?
“Lock to repeat”? Jump the gun much? IT’S FEBRUARY…and Buddle doesn’t make anybody a lock at this point
“Despite all of the star power on the roster, the Galaxy are able to afford Buddle by shedding a good chunk of salary from the books this offseason with the losses of players like Juninho, Donovan Ricketts, Jovan Kirovski and Gregg Berhalter. Los Angeles also received allocation money from Montreal in exchange for Ricketts to boost its financial flexibility, something that helped facilitate brining Buddle back to the Home Depot Center.”
YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS
back to back champs.
How does LA get him under the cap?