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Report: Erik Palmer-Brown set to sign for Manchester City

 

 

Erik Palmer-Brown has been on European radars for quite awhile, and he appears set to join one of England’s giants in the near future.

According to the Kansas City Star, Palmer-Brown is set to sign with Manchester City following his contract’s expiration at the end of the MLS season. The Sporting KC defender will join Man City in 2018 on a multi-year deal.

“He came to us and said there might be an opportunity. I said to him, ‘Look, if that’s what you want to do, then we’ll support you,’ ” Sporting KC coach and technical director Peter Vermes said. “He’s played out his contract. It’s happened with other guys. It’s just one of those situations.”

The U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team captain had reportedly been weighing several overseas options. He had reportedly received an offer from Sporting KC to stay on with the club, but it did not match the money offered by Man City.

“We believed we made him a very good offer in MLS,” Vermes said.

Palmer-Brown, who had been liked to Juventus in the past, had made 18 appearances for Sporting KC since 2014. He spend 2016 on loan with FC Porto, playing primarily with the club’s reserve side.

Comments

  1. Leaving on a free transfer. Wow. MLS absolutely sucks in the transfer market, and they continue to prove it each time they get the opportunity to.

    On a related note: the comment section set-up is equally as laughable, SBI. Way to regress…

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  2. SKC has known for awhile that EPB wasn’t going to resign so there was really no reason to push him into the line up to benefit his development, much like Hyndman at Fulham. Also, Opara and Besler are solid and SKC with that duo and Melia, Sinovic, and Zusi have the best defense in MLS 5 better on GAs than Toronto and fifteen better than next best in the West. He played for Swope Park early before the U20 WC because SKC knew he would be gone for the tournament so they worked out guys who would be available for that month. He’s been steadily the back up for Opara (concussion) and Besler (USMNT duty) since returning from the WC. Of course, he will likely play for ManCity’s U23 squad for the rest of the season and then they will see about a loan or playing time for next season (likely a loan).

    Is there a definitive answer on if MC could loan him to NYCFC, SKC retains his rights if he returns to MLS, but I’m not sure that would disqualify a loan (don’t see that as a likely move if it is possible though).

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  3. don’t like this at all. he won’t play at city, if he plays in mls because he is loaned out to nycfc, then he won’t have the kind of development that is needed for him. if he is loaned out to a dutch or german club then it makes the deal more acceptable. this is a great money win for city very iffy for ebb. he should’ve gone to germany or netherlands; he could actually play.

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  4. chances are he will be loaned out to nycfc. smart move by MUFC group and disastrous handling of the transfer by SKC. he was courted by juventus, psv, ajax, and MUFC and he went on a FREE TRANSFER! we can’t let out young talent leave the MLS for no money.

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    • Its very likely any transfer offers from Europe(if there were any) were very low for him. Makes sense to hold on to a high upside player and see if you can make it work long term rather than to let him go early for hardly anything.

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      • while i agree with the sentiment, i feel like SKC did not try to make it work in the long term. Instead of loaning him out this season like they did last season, he played in the USL which is definitely not the best for his development. instead of letting him go for a smaller amount, they let him go for free. Even if offers were low, low is still more than free.

  5. it’s a shame the mls players union can’t work with the owners and try to change the bargaining agreement and try and turn to or selling league to make more money off kids like this and others they have lost in the past.

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  6. What are his chances of seeing the field while at Man city? While it’s good he’s going to a top league, I wish he would go to a mid table quality team needing the help so he could get some playing time. Hopefully they loan him out like Miazga who is getting a lot of time in the Dutch league.

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    • @Gary&Adam.
      He will 100% be loaned out. With the transfer market being inflated more than ever and no restrictions on loan moves the top clubs are all acting this way. They pull in a hoard of prospects and loan them across europe. If they become top pros they are usually sold off for a tidy profit. Every once in a while they find a diamond who can get in their 1st team. Rather than pay 40+ mil for a first teamer (the going rate these days) they got one for a few years small salary. Even if they player fails its a small investment that didn’t work out. They’re playing the numbers game plain and simple. Good luck to EPB though.

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    • Whether he sees the field for Man City is irrelevant. Man City is buying very low, sending him out on loan, and is going to sell him in a couple of years. Large clubs with deep pocketed owners buy players with the intention of loaning then selling to help boost their revenue for Financial Fair Play reasons.

      If Erik Palmer Brown develops while out of loan, whether he plays at Man City doesn’t matter

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  7. Agreed Bryan. Its really quite simple. The best offer usually wins. Offer them something here they wont get in Europe. First team minutes. Not a start but you have to allow guys to continue to develop or you will lose them.

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    • Perhaps he didn’t get the PT or money from MLS that he wanted becuase he isn’t that great? He has has some very good youth NT performances, but does his inability to break through at all with KC say somehting about what they think of him?

      For a club like City its very easy to take a possibly overpriced flier on a prospect.
      Entirely possible SKC knew of his European plans and didn’t invest 100% to developing him.

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      • what makes this laughable is that the salary that will be required of MCFC to bring him over is probably far from ‘high priced’…he’s making 75K in MLS….yearly salary of 200K and the kid will fly himself over to the UK…..many players at MCFC make more than that in a single week

        getting on the field for a conservative coach and 2 veteran/stalwart CBs in KC was always working against him – just not sure that moving to UK is the answer. sure, he’ll get loaned out somewhere (perhaps to another team owned by City Football Group) but ultimately a strange move

      • I think the latter is probably correct. He was probably the best player in our U20 team so that should tell you something.
        P.S. You can’t break into KC lineup if they don’t give you a chance.

  8. If MLS want guys like this to stay then they should actually play them once in a while. If you aren’t playing many games then there is no reason not to head over to Europe where you still won’t play but at least get some real development in training.

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