Benfica are in the draw for the Champions League third qualifying round at 11.00 BST in Nyon, Switzerland, this morning, along with Liverpool, Arsenal, Celtic, Rangers and a host of other teams. Live text coverage on the BBC website if anyone's vaguely interested.
Adu got a pretty good amount of first team playing time plus better exposure to the USMNT coaches and US fans by playing in MLS and that wouldn't have happened in the youth systems at Milan or Manchester, so IMO he made the right choice. However, now is the right time for moving over as he can sign as a professional and probably get minutes. Johnson, at 23, should have gone to Derby or Rangers/Celtic and if he doesn't sign in January or next summer then the (relatively speaking) big money window will probably close. Jonathan Bornstein, Hercule Gomez, Sacha Kljestan, Ricardo Clark, Eddie Gaven, Kenny Cooper, Michael Parkhurst, Marvell Wynne, Jozy Altidore, Nathan Sturgis, Danny Szetela and Tim Ward should all be on the phone with their agents asking why they're still playing with US clubs. Regardless of the financials or what the moves would do to MLS each of them should be playing for a second or third tier European team or better.
Jozy Altidore is still 17 (he turns 18 in November). However, unlike Adu he hasn't been a full-time starter. He had great exposure with the U-20s though. I think he plays another year before going to Europe. As for Szetela, he also gained some exposure during the U-20 tournament. Apparently some teams have expressed interest while the Crew and MLS have expressed none in keeping him.
In FIFA rules, players can sign pre-contract agreements months ahead of the day they're otherwise eligible. See Beckham/LA Galaxy, for example, so Altidore could have made a deal this summer to take effect in the January window. If Bradley plays him on the senior squad between now and January, which he's earned, then he ought to attract some flattering offers then.
i wasn't aware that a pre-contract could also apply to someone under 18. anyway, Szetela has reached an agreement with Roma.
goddam, ya beat me to posting that news ;) Very nice to see one of our youngsters go to a top Italian side, haven't been to many in Serie A to date.
