The Groundsman’s Shed

What an opportunity for the young guy!  Here’s to hoping he’ll make a bigger and better splash overseas than many of his American counterparts.

NEW YORK (AP) — Red Bulls striker Jozy Altidore appeared headed for Villarreal, with the Spanish first-division club agreeing to a transfer deal with Major League Soccer for New York’s teenage forward.

Altidore, praised by some as the United States’ best soccer prospect, still must negotiate a contract with Villarreal before he can join the club, the Red Bulls said Wednesday.

No transfer terms were released but a person with knowledge of the deal said it was worth a minimum of just under $10 million, nearly double the amount previously paid for an American when English club Sunderland bought Claudio Reyna for $5.7 million in 2001.

Despite my purely patriotic devotion to Fulham(erica), I have to admit that many of the American players overseas have a lot of trouble going from being a big fish in the small talent pool that is the MLS, to being a minnow amongst players from Europe and South America where footballers are groomed for top level play at an extremely early age. 

Bottom Line: This could a good move for Jozy, and a great step in his professional development.  Also, I now have more of a reason to pay attention to La Liga.