Bobby Wood has reportedly caught the eye of a few suitors following his run of exceptional goal-scoring form for FC Union Berlin.
According to a report from German outlet Berliner Kurier, the U.S. Men’s National Team forward has received interest from German Bundesliga clubs Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen and English Premier League side Liverpool. The report states that Jurgen Klopp’s scouts were impressed with the American while in attendance at Union Berlin’s 4-0 win against FSV Frankfurt on March 5 — a game in which Wood scored two goals.
The 23-year-old has been on an incredible run of form for Union Berlin in recent weeks, as he has scored nine goals in the past eight games for the club. Wood has netted 14 goals, tying Conor Casey for the most goals scored by an American during a season in Germany’s top two leagues, in total for Union Berlin this campaign.
Wood is currently with the USMNT, preparing for two World Cup qualifiers against Guatemala. The forward has earned 14 caps, scoring four goals.
What do you think of the report? Think Wood will be transferred in the summer? Where do you think he should be playing?
Share your thoughts below.
Does pointing out he has tied Conor Casey make him seem better or worse?
It says if Bruce Arena were coaching in present times, everyone on SBI would be calling him: clueless, playing favorites and prejudice against bald guys for not calling him up more when he scored 14 goals.
I see what you did there but see the problem is JK is not Arena, never will be and these are present times. It perplexes me that people get so wound up when this current manager is criticised like they have some stake in the proceedings. It’s what fans do just like there will be people who will defend the manager to no end. Get over it and move on bro
Take your own advice, Ronniet. Not sure if you’re that unaware but you’re guilty of what you just posted, “bro”.
I would love to see him move up and get paid. Also, I’d prefer for him to stay in Germany. It’s such a great level of competition and a great league. Leverkusen would be the best fit. Hamburg is a bit of a dead end in my opinion.
Stay in Germany and continue to develop. Get into a top 4 team to get some champions league experience. Bund 1 is really high quality and they know how to develop talent.
Probably wise of him to stay in germany, he knows the league and it would make for an easier transition. I know a lot of players are infatuated with the Premiere League, Wood is probably no different, and if he continues to improve there is no question that dream could be realized down the road.
“I know a lot of players are infatuated with the Premiere League”
i, too, think it would probably be better for wood to remain in germany (depending on the club, of course), but i wouldn’t dismiss the substantially higher wages of the epl as “infatuation”: the salaries are so much higher–and will climb even higher with the money from the new tv contract–that it could be a very good career move, even if he just ends up spending a few years on the bench.
Wow, Conor Casey had that many goals? Did not realize that.
Yes Big Mac did. Word of caution?
And let’s not forget Eric Wynalda who also had 14 goals for Saarbruken in the 2nd Bundisliga in the 92-93 season but also had 15 assists and won “the best newcomer of the year” award, the first American to do so.
I think Bobby Wood has done well in the Bundisliga and their style of play. The season has still about 7-9 games to go and the goal total will be higher as well as the number of clubs that will be after him. Right now, Wood sits third n the Golden Boot, only 4 goals back from the leader. He is also the youngest player among the top 10 scorere
Soccertimes lists Wynalda with only 12 goals, perhaps the other two were in cup play which might explain why its not mentioned in the Wood article or Soccertimes is wrong.
good for him.
I just hope he avoids Liverpool. Lots of respect for Klopp, but that doesn’t seem like a very stable situation for your first major league break through.
Maybe I’m out of the loop with the EPL this season, but Klopp isn’t on stable ground? Explain, please.
The ground is stable, Klopp is not…
Are we going all “European” and saying it’s not stable ground because Fenway Sports runs it like a business and not some toy with oil money?
I’ve yet to hear any reason it’s not stable.
There’s no guarantee that Klopp is there for long. Maybe he gets a pass for not winning this year but if they have a mediocre year next year do you think he will still be there?
LFC supporters also don’t have a recent history of being very tolerant of talented players getting off to a slow start.
Benteke has 7 goals in 12 premier league appearances and still seems like LFC are planning on moving him. So, I guess if we think Bobby will average a goal a match then, yes, he will be on stable ground. Failing that, he may not get as much leeway as a proven premier league goal scorer like Benteke.
(not to mention even without Benteke, the team still has sturridge, origi, firmino and ings. Maybe Bobby can beat them all out for regular playing time but do we really rate Wood ahead of Origi?
Every single one of those strikers are not Klopp’s strikers though. He may be using them, but they’re not necessarily ‘his’. I’m not saying they’re trash, or that Klopp won’t keep a few (He seems to like Origi), but Klopp has a documented history of coming into failing teams, and through smart player acquisition and development, turning them around.
As far as Benteke is concerned, I think Liverpool may have been blinded by him being the one source of inspiration in a terrible Villa squad, as well as desperation to replace Suarez, a constantly injured Sturridge (who if he manages to remain healthy won’t be there for long) and a Sterling with one foot out the door. This is the problem with traditionally-minded English managers placing a premium on “EPL experience” over actual talent.
Not disagreeing with either of those statements. I will say Klopp seems to rate Origi pretty highly… but he and Woods are also different style players. No real way of knowing but there are enough questions about where LFC/Klopp are headed and whether Bobby Woods would get pt to , I think, back up my assertion that LFC appears to be something of an unstable selection if he has his choice of where to go.
Maybe he gets a pass for not winning this year but if they have a mediocre year next year do you think he will still be there?
He didn’t start the season as manager and hasn’t brought in “his own players”. He’ll get three years (2 after this season) to turn it around.
To be completely honest: fuck the fans. The reason I questioned the “stable ground” comment to begin with is that statement sounds like the ignorant European fans who want all of their owners to spend endless oil money and buy the best players for every single position.
I’m not even a Boston fan or a John Henry fan but what he’s done with that club since taking it over (lets not forget how bad of shape it was financially) has been prudent and smart. He runs it like a business and they have spent in the transfer market. Problem is, Rodgers didn’t spend it wisely.
Expect Liverpool to have a very active transfer period this summer. Klopp is going to want to continue implementing his geggenpress philosophy. And finally he’s got a rich club with no financial issues handicapping him. Should be an interesting second year.
Yeah sorry, if Klopp is interested, you take it. The guy has an eye for strikers. He plucked Lewandowski from Lech Poznan and Aubameyang from St. Etienne.
Hell, the guy has an eye for talent in ALL positions. His 2013 CL finalist squad cost only 40million euros, with Reus heavily skewing that number with his 17.1 million euro transfer fee. Had Klopp arrived 3 years sooner, and managed to keep Reus, the transfer value of that squad would have been 1/10th the value of Madrid, who were demolished 4-1 in their own house.
Wouldn’t a Wood-Chicharito partnership be quite interesting? They have Kiessling too. They could go 4-3-3 or they would need to get rid of someone or one of those 3 would be on the bench.
This is assuming Hernandez stays with Leverkusen, of course.
agree they both have good movement, would be a nightmare to track them.