Terrence Boyd's career arc has been nothing if not unusual.
With no first-team club appearances to his name, Boyd has emerged as a favorite of U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann and a cornerstone to build around for the future. After a 20-goal season for Borussia Dortmund's reserve team and multiple appearances for the United States — including the all-important cap-tying appearance on Friday — Boyd is set for the next step in his club career.
Boyd will complete a transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Rapid Vienna on Thursday, when the 21-year-old forward is set to undergo a physical and sign a three-year deal with the Austrian power. Boyd spoke about his move to Rapid Vienna in an interview with Fox Soccer, in which he puts his transfer in proper perspective.
"It wouldn’t make sense for me to stay at Borussia Dortmund if I’m not going to get to play," Boyd said. "If a club isn’t going to play me, and I’m striker No. 3 or 4, then I would just see few minutes. A young player needs to play.
"Dortmund is a world-class team, and the football they are playing is really huge. It’s sad to leave Dortmund, but it’s soccer, life goes on. You have to test yourself to make yourself better, and I think this is the right step."
That is just some of what Boyd had to say about the move. Give the story, which includes comments from an approving Klinsmann, a read, and let us know what you think about Boyd and his move to Austria in the comments section below.
Heard the right back Pisczcek is going to Real Madrid possibly. Doubt they could prevent that one.
At the moment Gomez is on the best form of all of them. I would like to see a 4-3-3 with Dempsey, Gomez, and Donovan right to left. Play Edu, Jones and Bradley in the midfield and you have a solid team.
Sadly, MLS looks like it is becoming more like the Brazillian League, developing young American talent, sending it off to Europe for their prime, and welcoming in the veterans from across the pond. Obviously we don’t have the domestic talent pool of Brazil, but this works pretty well for them so I think its alright.
Nah, this is a good move for him. He’s only 21, and Rapid is one of the best in Austria, which means he will get Champions League, Europa League opportunities potentially. And by signing a 3-year deal this is very much a stepping stone for Boyd. Imagine 2 years playing every weekend in Austria, then adding a couple of goals in Brazil 2014, and all of a sudden Rapid Vienna is getting offers from big time clubs. I see this working out very well for Terrance, and wish him all the best.
Clint at Barcelona? Talk about lack of playing opportunities. He’s a great player but lets not get ahead of ourselves now.
Im wishing the MLS would let players come over here on a summer loan and not count against the Cap !!
What Landon does for everton, Players from Europe can do for the MLS!
Vienna is just a pit stop for Boyd.
My guess is the plan is to have one or two good seasons, get on the World Cup team and impress and then win a transfer to a big club in one of the top leagues in Europe.
Signing with MLS might hamper his flexibility.
As for calls for him to go to Bundesliga 2 or MLS I don’t know how they rate in relation to the UEFA rankings of leagues in Europe, but Austria is rated at 15, only a few places below Belgium and Denmark,three places above Scotland and way above Sweden and Norway (24 and 26 respectively).
Bedoya, for example, could do a lot worse than get a transfer to Rapid.
10 Greece
11 Turkey
12 Belgium
13 Denmark
14 Switzerland
15 Austria
16 Cyprus
17 Israel
18 Scotland
19 Czech Republic
20 Poland
21 Croatia
No that is for Clint who would fit in perfectly there.
Touch can be improved rapidly, though. Look at Jozy and Clint.
agreed with everything you said.
Have you been watching him in the Eridivisie?
Per the ESPN commentary during Poland-Russia, Lewandowski’s staying put.
Lewnadowski to Man U (possibly)
Barrios to some Chinese team.
yea… this team need to hold on to its players
count me in too. Boyd and Altidore paired in the future could be golden
on first touch, it is the glaring hole in Boyd’s game right now seems to me, at least for what he’s shown with the USMNT…very poor first touch in the area has let him down on numerous occassions
and Jozy’s first touch has come a loooong way
Transfermarkt says 400k euros, but that seems to me to be to much.
Agreed. If both live up to their potential we’d be crazy not to play them up to together.
I wonder who else(besides Kagawa and now Boyd)Dortmund will sell off. That team was a lot of fun to watch last season. Especially in the DFB Pokal final. Only a matter of time until Bayern try snag Gotze.
Second best touch?
Can’t even begin to agree with that and I actually like Jozy.
Anyone know if there was a transfer fee, and if so how much?
As they both develop and shore up their respective weaknesses, though, they may wind up looking like very similar players.
Not so similar in the sense that Boyd has a better motor and is an aggressive defender and attacker while Jozy has much better ball skills and has become an excellent hold up player and distributor. They would certainly be a handful physically for defenders. The only time they’ll really step on each other’s toes is at the top of the box, where they both like to post up, turn and shoot.
At this point, Jozy possibly has the second best first touch on the team to Deuce, who has also dramatically improved that aspect of his game. Just go look at highlights of his goals from this year and you’ll see a sublime touch on many of them.
I like Boyd and believe he has a bright future. That being said, he is twenty-one years old and hasn’t played first team soccer anywhere. And he still got picked up by a team who dominates their (admittedly second-rate) league, and plays in Europe regularly. What better situation could we realistically hope for?
MLS is not a great league for a young, developing kid like Boyd. He has great potential: great motor, fantastic physical tools, a good creative and aggressive mind for the game and he’s hungry for success. He needs a lot of work on his ball skills, though, particularly his first touch which is akin to a trampoline at this point. The only way he improves this is through repetition and the MLS season just doesn’t have enough games. If you have a choice, you have to choose a European league which gives the opportunity to play more games.
Jozy with his first touch, no!
He should’ve gone to Barcelona!!
Are Boyd and Jozy too similar to play next to each other up top in a 2 forward lineup? I’d like to see it tried at some point.
the latter.
Reason: the endless opportunities in europe as oppose to playing in the US
Young DP rule?
He should’ve gone to a better team. Wishing the day MLS would snatch up guys like this, a little surprised that teams wouldn’t go after him. Is it really out of reach for MLS teams or just a matter of him not wanting to come?
Well here’s hoping Rapid is his AZ! The future is bright for both he and Jozy.
Dortmund was Boyd’s Villarreal. Great move!