Heath Pearce Lands In.............Turkey!

American international Heath Pearce has signed for Turkish First Division side Bursaspor (just south of Istanbul).

The Gators are currently in fifth place on seven points after the first four matches of the season.


For more details, check out LFV pal Greg Seltzer's report over on his blog No Short Corners.

Livorno Crushes Brescia's Serie A Dreams

Livorno crushed Danny Szetela's Brescia side 3-0 in the final leg of their promotion playoff and will return to Serie A next season. Livorno's win capped a 5-2 aggregate win in the Serie B playoffs. Lingering injuries kept Danny Szetela out of the side which will remain in Serie B for at least one more season. Szetela's loan deal to Brescia expires at the end of June and its still not clear whether he'll stay with the club, move back to Racing Santander, or be picked up by another European side.

Francesco Tavano, Alessandro Diamanti and Martin Bergvold were the goal scorers for Livorno, which returns to the top flight after finishing the 2007-08 Serie A campaign bottom of the table.

More Great Soccer Writing

Its been about six months since we've featured some great soccer writing so here are a few as we start the summer.

Sometimes great soccer writing can be found in the business pages as Bloomberg London's Christopher Elser shows us this week in an insightful piece on the big gamble Real Madrid is making with its future with some of its current transfer deals. Elser does a fine job of reminding readers that far from being a rich club, Real Madrid is now so mired in debt that if Ronaldo and Kaka do not significantly up the club's revenues, it may start to resemble a teetering US bank considered too big too fail.

I contrast Elser's piece with a recent contribution by the AP's Jim Litke constrasting traditional US sports club owners with the wheelers and dealers of European football. Its always refreshing when someone can translate European soccer phenomena into terms American non-soccer fans (like Mr. never-played-sports-in-his-life Jim Rome) can understand...OK, maybe not Jim Rome (unless we get Jim Everett to make him read it). I'd love to see Jim do a follow-up article on how those European wheeler-dealer owners manage to do so well without acting like American sports team owners who blackmail cities (and their taxpayers) to build them a new stadium, lest they move to another city.

Finally, LFV reader Kevin Quinn passed along Al Needham's 1998 World Cup diary which he tells us pushed him from being a casual fan into becoming an "obsessive one." Reading Al's passionate commentary, I can see why.

So I Guess Chelsea Won't Be Spending Much This Year

...since Abramovich just bought a huge yacht for $550 million. Buying the world's largest yacht, complete with a helipad and its own submarine, doesn't exactly leave much money to buy Franck Ribery from Bayern - leaving the door open for Real Madrid to swoop in.

Berhalter Leaving 1860 Munich For MLS

1860 Munich has announced that American defender Gregg Berhalter will be leaving the club immediately to continue his career back home on Major League Soccer (MLS). Berhalter's contract with the Second Bundesliga club was set to expire in June 2009 but the club has agreed to release him early.

This marks an end to Berhalter's long career in Europe after playing in the Netherlands, England, and for the past seven years - in Germany. Reflecting on his European career, Berhalter remarked that: "I had a very good and successful 15 years in Europe but the time has come to say goodbye and go home." He thanked the club for their understanding to release him early and in a parting statement to the fans said: "I had a super time here in Munich and I'm excited to start a new chapter of my life playing in MLS."

What remains unclear is which MLS team he will be playing for in the coming weeks as he starts a new 2-year deal with the league.

Berhalter made 23 appearances in the Bundesliga and 88 in the Second Bundesliga. During his stint at 1860 Munich, he made 73 appearances, scoring eight goals.

Beckham To Stay With Milan Until July

The LA Times' Grahame Jones is reporting that the LA Galaxy has reached a deal with AC Milan to extend the loan until July, when Beckham would rejoin his team in LA.

The agreement will give Beckham a chance to stay in England coach Fabio Capello's scheme while compensationg the Galaxy and their sponsors in the process.

Whether the Galaxy can improve over last year's embarassing run while missing its most expensive player for half the new season remains to be seen. I for one don't think he'll pull on a Galaxy jersey ever again. Don't be fooled folks, this is something akin to a separation agreement awaiting a final divorce.

Read more about it here.

Given how hollow Beckham's previous words and promises to MLS and LA Galaxy fans are ringing these days, you've got to wonder when the Rossoneri faithful will discover that his only loyalty appears to be to no one but himself.

Transfer Window Closes

The January transfer window has closed without some of the moves American fans were hoping for as DaMarcus Beasley, Heath Pearce, Oguchi Onyewu, and Brian McBride (to name a few) will be staying put.

Since I'm in the middle of my own transfer, I'll let my friends Bob Wagman at Soccer Times and Greg Seltzer at No Short Corners fill you in.

Marseille Still Eying Onyewu

Olympique Marseille coach Eric Gerets is still keen to possibly sign Stantard Liege central defender Oguchi Onyewu. According to France Football, Gerets was at Standard's recent UEFA Cup match against Sampdoria to observe Onyewu, who scored in his team's 3-0 win.

Gerets is looking for help to strengthen his team's central defense which has been a disappointment, despite the club's current fifth place standing in Ligue 1. Their defensive softness was most vividly displayed last weekend in a 3-0 loss to Nancy. During that dismal performance, the central midfield and defense did not communicate well and L'OM was overall weak in one-on-one challenges. Observers have noted that this year's edition of L'OM is strong on paper but mentally weak. The addition of Onyewu, a player Gerets referred to as "intense and strong" could be just what the team needs to challenge for one of the league's top places this season.

Any move for Onyewu would likely be tied to the fate of central defender Ronald Zubar, a player once linked to Arsenal and Olympique Lyon but who has had a disappointing season. The trick for Gerets is whether he decides he can bring the once-promising French U-21 player back into form or sell him off and go after Onyewu.

But L'OM is also interested in Onyewu's teammate Milan Jovanovich to strenghen their attack. So, talks between the two teams won't necessarily mean that Gooch is in play although a package deal is remotely possible. With a price tage estimated at 12 million euros, Jovanovich may be too pricey for Marseille so they may settle for bringing in veteran striker Henrik Larsson from Helsingborg (for an estimated 5 million euros).

Donovan Training With Bayern Munich

Today at Bayern Munich's 3 PM practice, a new face showed up alongside coach Juergen Klinsmann, a face familiar to many American fans. Yep, that's right, the LA Galaxy's Landon Donovan is in Munich to train with Bayern for a weeek or two to "stay fit." Hmmm.

Could Donovan, who last left Bayer Leverkusen in 2005 after playing in seven league and two Champion's League matches, be looking for for a ticket back to European soccer? Donovan's own web site seems to indicate so when he says “I am pleased that Jürgen Klinsmann and Bayern are giving me this chance to get to know their new performance center and stay fit alongside their great international footballers.”

Kicker speculates that Donovan could fit well into the formation behind Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose, especially if Lukas Podolksi makes a possible mid-season move elsewhere. The question is not so much whether Klinsmann thinks Donovan is ready (by all accounts he does), but whether Donovan can prove his worth to club boss Uli Hoeness who must approve any deal (be it a loan or an outright purchase). My guess is that is exactly why Donovan is training in Munich this week.

Hoeness has made it clear that Podolski isn't going anywhere unless a suitable replacement is found. For many observers, that replacement appeared to be Zenith's Russian phenom Andrei Arshavin but if Donovan can prove he has the goods (and is available now), it may just be doable.

Stay tuned because if this is like any of Donovan's previous transfer sagas, it will get quite interesting.

Mastroeni: New Interest From Spain

As we've reported here before, it appears USA and Colorado Rapids midfielder Pablo Mastroeni is set for a move to Europe in January, the only question is where.

While a handful of Italian clubs (such as Cagliari, Catania, and Palermo) have been whispered to have interest, LFV friend Nick Thomas is reporting that interest is also coming from Spain's Real Betis and Malaga. Check it out here.

Donovan Linked To Bayern? Doubtful

This week Andrea Canales got the US faithful abuzz with a nice article on a potential Landon Donovan return to Europe. Your faithful vagabond has been sniffing about this week checking on the possibility that Landon Donovan has attracted interest from Bundesliga power Bayern Munich. So far the results indicate that people have taken Andrea's speculation and twisted it into something it is not; a rumor. Even when quoted in her article Donovan caveats the idea with the key phrase; "...if there is interest."

While Bayern coach Juergen Klinsmann is well aware of Donovan and his abilities, my spidey sense tells me its hard to see the club bringing him in as a 4th striker right now (unless someone gets injured). Even if Donovan came aboard, competing for playing time with Luca Toni, Miroslav Klose, and Lukas Podolski (three of Europe's most storied attackers) seems like a bridge too far.

So, as the MLS season winds to a close and Donovan's MLS contract comes up for renewal, expect more rumors and innuendo with the occasional fact popping out every now and then. We'll do our best to help you tell which is which (and welcome your inputs as well).

Onyewu: No Need To Sell

It looks like Oguchi Onyewu will spend at least another half season at Standard Liege after the transfer period came and went without any deal being made. It seems the board at Standard would rather keep him onboard to help the team to another title and to see how far they can advance in the UEFA Cup now that they have been knocked out of the Champion's League.

It also seems that Standard will not be hard up for cash this year, having just sold Belgian midfielder Maroune Fellaini to Everton, for a record $30 million fee. The team can still garner a respectable transfer fee for Onyewu in January or next summer, especially if he signs a contract extension to 2010, which would put an upward pressure on his transfer value.

Its also hard to say whether some of the situations on offer were not to Gooch's liking. If it was not a deal to make him a starter and play at a higher level, why leave?

Update: Michael Bradley to Borussia Moenchengladbach

Borussia Moenchengladbach sports director Christian Ziege has just confirned that American Michael Bradley may spend the next few seasons plying his trade at Borussia Moenchengladbach. Ziege told the Rheinisher Post that Bradley is a "dangerous, versatile player but also a classic playmaker. He may be young be mentally, he is much farther along." Further details of the transfer deal are not yet available.

Bradley was in Moenchengladbach today for his unveiling and he is expected to arrive permanently on Thursday. With just two days on the ground prior to Saturday's match against fellow American Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96, he is not expected to suit up for Gladbach until their home match against Hertha Berlin in two weeks.

With the transfer, Bradley will become the second American ever to have played for the Bundesliga side after goalkeeper Kasey Keller spent a few productive years at the club.

Transfer Season: By Midnight We'll Know

OK folks, now that Michael Bradley has found a new home at Borussia Monchengladbach, we still have 12 hours before we know if Oguchi Onyewu is going to PSG, Espanyol, Lazio, Bologna, or someplace England. The Italian deadline is at 6PM (12 PM EDT) so if its a Serie A move, expect to know earlier in the day. After the rollercoaster ride that Gooch's last transfer turned out to be, we'll need to hear the fat lady signing on this one before we know for sure.

We'll also soon know whether Heath Pearce will leave Hansa Rostock for greener pastures. My spidey sense (which seems to be spreading like an epidemic these days) tells me that Pearce will stay at Hansa since the club has mentioned him as someone they are counting on to help them win promotion back to the Bundesliga.

Also in Germany, Die Welt is reporting that VFL Wolfsburg's American Kamani Hill is on the auction block but its not clear yet who the suitors may be.

Regarding Pablo Mastroeni, while there has been interest from Cagliari and some Serie B clubs, word on the street is that any move would not happen until the January 2009 transfer window. My spidey sense places Catania and Palermo on the list of interested clubs as well.

So, don't wait for the mailman, just stay tuned here...

PSG: Onyewu's New Home?

As the final hours tick away on this summer's transfer window, the faithful of Paris Saint-German seem to think they'll see American Oguchi Onyewu suiting up for them very soon. PSG has been searching for a new starting defender after Lilliam Thuram retired due to a heart condition and attempts to find a quality replacement had failed. Monaco and Marseille (the club he almost signed with in 2007) had also previously expressed an interest with Marseille dropping out of the running last Thursday. According to today's Le Parisien, Monaco is opting for Swiss international Patrick Müller so if Gooch ends up in France, PSG will probably be his new home.

Still, much could change in the coming hours so stay tuned...

In other news, American Danny Szetela went the distance for Serie B side Brescia in yesterday's 2-2 draw with Empoli.

Monaco: Still Interested in Bradley?

Yet another twist in the Bradley transfer saga as the deadline approaches in just five days. After there seeming to be much interest from Monaco for Heerenveen's American midfielder Michael Bradley a few weeks ago, they then focused on Betis Seville's Marko Babic as a new offensive option. This morning here in Europe, word has come out on Footmercato.fr that ASM has not agreed terms on Babic and is now taking another look at bringing Bradley on board.

Looking over at the state of play on Standard Liege's American defender Oguchi Onyewu, PSG looks less likely as an option as word came out last night that the Paris side wants to acquire defender Jean-Alain Boumsong from Olympique Lyon.

Edu To Rangers, Subotic and Gibson Score, Pearce On The Move?

Various UK news sources, including Sky Sports and the Globe and Mail are reporting that the final details are being worked out in a deal to bring American Maurice Edu (picured to the right) from Toronto to Glasgow Rangers. After returning from Olympic duty in China, Edu was supposed to be in Glasgow yesterday for Rangers' home opener against Hearts to iron out a deal worth a reported $5 million. Rangers boss Walter Smith confirmed the reports but cautioned that it all "depends on a work permit so it will be a few days before we know about that."

If the deal goes through, the young central midfielder will become the third American to pull on the distinctive blue and white striped Rangers jersey after former midfielder Claudio Reyna and current left midfielder DaMarcus Beasley.

At the same time my buddy Greg Seltzer tells us that some Bundesliga clubs may be interested in acquiring Hansa Rostock's American defender Heath Pearce. If this is the case (and Greg is usually right on), then my spidey sense tells me that interest may coming from none other than Borussia Dortmund boss Juergen Klopp (who recently brought American Neven Subotic from FSV Mainz with him). After BVB's star left back Dede was injured in yesterday's 3-2 win over Leverkusen (in which Subotic scored the match winner in the 49th), Dortmund is in dire need of an experienced left back. Dede will have knee surgery on Monday and will miss at least half of the season. Thus, a Bundesliga-experienced left back like Pearce could be exactly what BVB needs.


In the Second Bundesliga yesterday, LR Ahlen's American striker Grover Gibson (pictured to the left) scored a 56th minute goal to put his team to a 1-0 lead in a 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt.

American defender Steve Cherundolo and his Hannover 96 squad had a rough Bundesliga start in a 3-0 loss to Schalke 04, giving up two goals in the first seven minutes. Hannover's other American, defender Sal Zizzo, did not play.

Still waiting on Freddy Adu's arrival, AS Monaco tied FC Nantes last night 1-1. After a disappointing midweek 2-1 UEFA Cup loss to Norway's Stabaek, Carlos Bocanegra went the full 90 minutes in central defense as his Stade Rennais side lost to Ligue 1 newcomer Grenoble 1-0. FC Lorient midfielder Andrew Jacobson did not dress as his team held French league juggernaut Olympique Lyon to a 0-0 draw.

Lazio: Renewed Interested In Onyewu?

Now the real circus begins as news items slowly leak out about teams interested in American defender Oguchi Onyewu. After interest from PSG came out of Paris a few days ago, this afternoon Eurosport is stating that Lazio has renewed its interest in Gooch. Like a number of Serie A clubs, they are in the market for a central defender but this is the first time Onyewu has been mentioned since January. They recently signed Czech Republic defender David Rozehnal from Newcastle and seem to be looking for new options after loaning out two Romanians; left/central defender Radu Stefan and central defender Cosmin Moti to Dynamo Bucharest.

Gooch's athletic style is well suited to the Italian game but if he ends up at Lazio, he'll need to be a bit more clever against Serie A forwards who are experts at selling a foul in the penalty area. Whether or not any renewed interest from Lazio is serious, I've got to hand it to Onyewu's agents, they sure know how to stir up interest in their client.

More on Onyewu's last transfer saga (January 2007) available here.

Onyewu To PSG?

As we've reported here previously, Standard Liege's American defender Oguchi Onyewu has drawn interest from FC Koeln, Fulham lately (not to mention Marseilles an Lazio back in January). With French legend Lilliam Thuram being forced into retirement by a heart condition, PSG remain in the market for a central defender. Now, according to Info PSG, they are looking at Onyewu as an option along with 24 year-old Dynamo Kiev defender Pape Diakhaté, who is under contract until 2011.

Gooch has experience in the French league after out starting at Metz and since he has played for years on French speaking teams, integrating into the side should be easier. He has shown well in recent club matches and appears to be one of the better central defense options available in northern Europe. With two days left before the French transfer deadline, Gooch and his agent Roger Boli appear to be in a tough spot. Assuming he gets an offer, should he sign for PSG by midnight on the 17th or hold out for a better deal in England? Its no secret that Onyewu prefers to play in England but a strong couple of years at PSG could be a springboard to the top teams in Europe. It seems to have worked fine for Gabriel Heinze, Ronaldinho, David Ginola, and George Weah.

Update: It turns out that back in mid-July, Ligue 1 reached an agreement with FIFA to extend the transfer window from the original August 17th to August 31st - the same as the other major Europen leagues.

Hamburg: Renewed Interest In Bradley

Now that Rafael van der Vaart has been sold to Real Madrid, Hamburger SV is shopping for an attacking player to fill the gap. Both the Hamburg press and Kicker report that the two main candidates are Spartak Moscow striker Roman Pavlyuchenko and Heerenveen's attacking midfielder Michael Bradley (currently in China playing for the US Olympic team).

Hamburg coach Martin Jol has made it clear that he isn't looking for a project, but rather a player who is ready to contribute now. He told Kicker: "In this market its not easy..."but its clear, I want a player who is ready - otherwise its a joke."

Hamburg president and German soccer legend Uwe Seeler seemed to favor bringing in the Russian when he told Sport1.de: "What we're missing up front is a crusher, a poacher, someone who can bring pressure all on his own."

But Hamburg officials also admitted that Pavlyuchenko may be too difficult to acquire, in particular since the Russian is being courted by Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham; all with deeper pockets than the Bundesliga club. Bradley may be a bit easier to acquire, provided Hamburg is willing to match or exceed Monaco's reported $13 million transfer offer.