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By IVES GALARCEP
Alejandro Bedoya has done his fair share of bouncing around Europe the past few years, but a strong season in Sweden has him on the verge of securing a move to the best league he will have played in to date.
Bedoya is heading to France to finalize a deal that will see him join newly-promoted French club Nantes, in a deal that could be completed in the next 24-48 hours. Lyle Yorks, Bedoya’s agent, confirmed to SBI on Wednesday that Bedoya is in France to complete the deal.
Reports surfaced in France on Wednesday morning linking Bedoya to a move to Nantes, and according to Yorks, a deal could be completed by Friday.
Bedoya had been considering offers from Swiss side Grasshopper and Dutch side Heerenveen, but the opportunity to play in Ligue 1, and with a club like Nantes, with a storied history in the French League, made Bedoya’s decision for him.
The 26-year-old U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder is coming off a strong season with Swedish side Helsingborg, and also an impressive showing with the USMNT during last month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, which saw him deliver the game-winning assist in the Gold Cup Final.
If Bedoya completes the move as expected, he will become the only American currently playing in Ligue 1. The French league has seen several players pass through, including most recently Carlos Bocanegra and Charlie Davies.
What do you think of this development? See Ligue 1 being a good fit for Bedoya? Disappointed he didn’t go to Heerenveen or think the French League is better for him?
Share your thoughts below.
Done deal. Officially announced by his new club :
http://www.fcnantes.com/articles/article2809.php?num=8092 (french)
Looking at the situations and with JAB and Johannson, I think this is our 23 for Brazil barring injuries:
Goalkeepers: Howard, Guzman, Rimando
Defense: Cherundolo, Chandler, Besler, Gonzalez, JAB, Cameron, Beasley
Midfielders: Bradley, Jones, Diskeruud, F. Johnson(LB as well), Shea, Bedoya, Zusi, Donovan(FW as well)
Forwards: Altidore, Dempsey, E. Johnson, Johannson
I just don’t know who is #23. Does he bring Beckerman, one of his favorites? Or Goodson, another CB? Cameron can also play CB, CM, or RB. Or does he bring Herc or another DM who has touch like Torres? Does Boyd step up? Does Holden recover in time? What do you think?
I’d say he has goodson as a starter now. He has to have a bad year to not make the trip at all. I’d have him over gonzo but gonzo still has the biggest upside of any defender for the long haul
Goodson is almost 32.. I think Klinsi best option is to keep on grooming Gonzo so he could be ready for the big stage
I like your 23. However, my guess is Klinsmann takes Goodson instead of JAB and either Beckerman or Edu get added to the midfield. As you have it currently, only Bradley, Jones, and Mix are your central midfielders. Need at least 4. If I were to speculate I would think that Corona has a good enough year to make the squad in place of Shea but that to me is the biggest battle for the 23.
Cameron can play DM too, I think Zusi as well
Zusi, Bedoya and LD will be playing the right wing/midfield. I highly doubt JK will be taking all 3 of them.
Landon can play RM but he might be better as a withdrawn striker, as a #10
I think it would be easier to list where donovan can not play and that is keeper and centerback and possibly as a DM. otherwise he has shown he can play everywhere else.
There isn’t nearly enough sarcasm in this thread.
Good one! Out-loud laugh…
Oll
Playing in France! Obviously he is not American enough to play for USA if he is playing in France. He’s just using us to further his club career. I mean, a couple weeks after he impresses at the gold cup he scores a big move? Coincidence, I think not.
Pace,
He’s from New Jersey. What do you expect?
Wait, Bedoya had a chance to play in the Dutch league and he chose Ligue 1 instead? He obviously doesn’t know what all us soccer blog posters know. And that’s that the Dutch league is the only league young Americans should go to in order to develop properly.
i’ve never heard that before. Hearing voices again?
France has done a better job in developing players for the Premier League and the rest of the Continental ‘Aristocracy’ (Barca, Madrid, Bayern, Juve, Milan) than the Dutch have. Pretty much every African player that plays in Europe started in Ligue 1. Though their national team may be overridden with ego, there is an immense amount of talent that country produces. The idea that the Dutch league is better for development than Ligue 1 is ridiculous.
And now I notice the sarcasm 🙂
Young? Bedoya is 26 that’s not young.
Bedoya isn’t exactly young at 26 and Ligue 1 is ranked one slot higher ( #6 vs #7) than the Dutch league in Europe.
My guess is the money is probably a little better. And of course who knows if he even had a choice?
LOL! Effective use of sarcasm….
BTW, GW is right in that we do not know what went on in the negotiations process. However, France is still better than Netherlands and MUCH better than Sweden: http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/uefarankings/country/index.html