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Report: Jelle Van Damme set to transfer, linked to Galaxy

Jelle-Van-Damme-Standard-de-Liege-Getty-Images

Following in the footsteps of Belgian defender Laurent Ciman, Jelle Van Damme is reportedly set to join MLS.

According to Belgian news outlet Sudinfo.com, defender Jelle Van Damme has reached an agreement with Belgian club Standard Liège to transfer. In a report on Saturday, the LA Galaxy were reportedly nearing a deal to sign the former Belgian international.

Van Damme, 32, did not dress in Standard’s 2-0 win against Lokeren on Sunday, and posted a farewell message to the club’s supporters on his personal Instagram account.

The 6-foot-3 centerback has played for Standard since the 2010-11 campaign, making 163 appearances. He made his international debut for Belgium in 2003, and was called into the national team in 2015 during qualification for Euro 2016.

Here is Van Damme’s farewell message:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BApvzUeNdlC/?taken-by=jelle_van_damme

What do you think about Van Damme joining the Galaxy? Think he will do well in MLS?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. So far Bruce has consistently made good choices. The Galaxy have the first openly gay athlete in MLS. I am also certain that the Galaxy will sign these guys at a discount rate. Always amazed at how much quality the G’s are able to buy for a reasonable amount of money. Bruce has to win with Keane and Gerrard for one year. I can see these as short term signings to get that done. Young kids are on the way but not ready yet.

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  2. Looks like a better, cheaper signing than Cole. With a few exceptions, I see the stalwart CB veterans anchoring the best MLS backlines. Ciman is a great example; Collin, Boswell, Borchers, Larentowicz, Perrinelle, and Parkhurst all sort of fit this mold of older guys whose experience trumps the slowdown that comes with old age.

    No idea how Cole will fare at fullback. I can’t think of a precedent and not many MLS comparisons come to mind. A rich man’s Roy Miller? David Carney? Both are out of the league after not justifying their ~$180k salary. Montreal’s former veteran backs? Cole’s salary will be much higher.

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  3. So first Cole, who trashed MLS, now Van Dame who called Onyewu a monkey? I used to think of the LA Galaxy as the top team in MLS. Now they’re becoming a real joke.

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    • When did folks in general become so delicate/ easily offended? I’m not at all wild about the Cole signing but…. all this trying to demonize the guy because of one flippant comment made in passing, likely completely out of ignorance about the league is kind of ridiculous. The prevailing view in the world about the league has been little firsthand knowledge but that it is below par. Lots of people have changed their views both because it is improving and because there is more exposure. Still plenty of decent credible people don’t give it much respect. Heck…. even the mighty Ronaldo recently did an almost identical about face in his POV.

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  4. This news provides another great opportunity to examine with humility why it is we root for some team. For example, as a Galaxy fan I’m not sure how many more a-holes they’d have to hire before I’d actually stop wishing the team well; but I can imagine such a world. And honestly my enthusiasm slightly suffers the less familiar I am with each player, and maybe the less each player’s story or ethos resonates with my sensibilities. So apart from lofty fandom based on quality of play, cultural homerism seems like the only basis (though a pretty unrefined one) that makes sense for choosing one team over another. That’s why I’m not sure it should be so surprising when USMNT fan factions sometimes question the national team credentials of, say, dual nationals who don’t remind them of themselves. Isn’t that just homerism?

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  5. I know MLS doesn’t like to provide any relevant information to it’s fans (and the reporters rarely ask or provide), but I’m wondering how the expected salary of Van Damme compares to Omar Gonzalez’s contract prior to his departure.

    For that matter, Juninho to de Jong’s, etc.

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