Eddie Johnson 12 goals for the season

[Ricochet]

It's now being reported that Eddie Johnson will train with PSV after his 2 week stint with Manchester United. ::talksocc

[Ricochet]

I think he ends up playing in Holland either with PSV or AJAX in a years time. IMO 2005 will be his last year in the MLS and that he will be transfered in next years winter transfer window.

[Ricochet]

Euro powers eye Johnson's magic

[Ricochet]

Euro powers eye Johnson's magic

Eddie Johnson continues to mash the accelerator on his rise in the U.S. soccer world – and in an increasingly keen international market.

The FC Dallas striker, the youngest player to own or share an MLS season's goal leadership, is a finalist for Chevrolet U.S. Soccer Young Male Athlete of the Year.

He also has secured a second training stint with a European heavyweight.

The speedy forward, who claimed the lone U.S. goal last week in a 1-1 draw with Jamaica to punctuate semifinal-round World Cup qualifying will soon join Holland's PSV Eindhoven for two weeks.

Last week's goal in Columbus, Ohio, was Johnson's fifth in three World Cup qualifiers, lifting eyebrows at clubs that tend to pay huge sums for such feats.

Johnson, 20, is underway with a two-week spell at Manchester United. From there, it's on to PSV, which already employs fast-rising American winger DaMarcus Beasley. The Dutch Eredivisie leader also is close to securing a spot in Champions League knockout stages.

These training spells aren't official tryouts; obtaining a work permit would be unlikely for now.

But the clubs are capitalizing on the time to kick the tires and learn more about the man who had 12 goals this MLS season. If Johnson starts a majority of national team games in 2005 – a growing possibility – he would be eligible to join the Euro club of his choosing.

The Florida native has long dreamed of playing in England or France, so a European destination seems likely.

For now, Johnson has two years remaining on his MLS contract. FC Dallas manager Colin Clarke likes that Johnson is getting not only high-level training, but varied training as well. The Dutch league is more technical than the hurly-burly and disproportionately airborne English game.

Clarke said the young striker goes with the club's blessing, so long as he gets another short break before MLS training camp opens in February.

Back home, Johnson is a finalist for one of U.S. Soccer's annual awards. He has tough competition for the award in Freddy Adu and teammate Alecko Eskandarian, whose late-season scoring binge guided D.C. United to the MLS championship.

But Johnson's five goals in three World Cup qualifiers make him a plausible candidate.

Voting is split between fans and media. Online voting runs through Dec. 17 at ussoccer.com.

MLS loses Donovan to Bayer Leverkusen

MLS lost perhaps its top player Tuesday when San Jose Earthquakes attacker and U.S. national team captain Landon Donovan announced he was embarking on a second stint with Germany's Bayer Leverkusen.

Donovan first signed with Bayer in 1999 at age 16. But he was dreadfully unhappy with his role and his unfamiliar surroundings and was thrilled to join MLS on a long-term loan agreement in 2001.

Bayer sits 11th in the 18-team Germany Bundesliga and wants its property back. Plus, the club needs attacking depth for its potential charge into the next Champions League round.

And this time, Bayer officials say, they see Donovan in the starting 11 once he joins Jan. 1.

"By playing at home, in front of my friends and family week in and week out, this has allowed me to grow as a player," Donovan said. "I am ready to embrace a similar role with Leverkusen."

MLS loses not only the three-time Honda Player of the Year, but also a marketing force, a former SI cover boy who has made the TV rounds from the Late Show with David Letterman to MTV's Total Request Live! and Regis & Kelly, among others.

Briefly ...

DaMarcus Beasley, Landon Donovan, Carlos Bocanegra, Kasey Keller and Claudio Reyna are candidates for the U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year. ... Shannon Boxx, Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly , Lindsay Tarpley and Abby Wambach are candidates for the corresponding female honor. ... MLS Rookie of the Year Clint Dempsey, a Nacogdoches native who made his U.S. international debut last week, is training with Feyenoord Rotterdam in the Netherlands for the next two weeks.

[Ricochet]

wendsdays Boston Globe said that Eddie Johnson will train with Feyenoord.

[Frank Cunha]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...fer/index.html

[revolutionfan]

They can get more for him

[Frank Cunha]

good luck::leedswac

Benfica took over first place from Porto::talksocc

[Morrison]

hum i am confused... should'nt the club decided if they want to sell the player or not?

its bizarre that the league decided if the player go or not go and the club have nothing to say about the deal..

[revolutionfan]

Originally posted by Morrison
hum i am confused... should'nt the club decided if they want to sell the player or not?

its bizarre that the league decided if the player go or not go and the club have nothing to say about the deal..

MLS is a single entity league, meaning they own 51% of every team (unless I'm mistaken), so they have control of the players as far as foreign transfers. Obviously the team is in charge of domestic transfers.

[Sinter]

We should say 10 million euros or F off.

Seriously though, Eddie Johnson is going to become one heck of a goal scorer and is still developing. I'd like to see him develop some more in MLS before being sent out to Europe. It be nice if a team from 1 of the big 3 leagues made an offer as well, as I rather see him play there, than for Benfica, as I think it would be a better fit.

[Ricochet]

I think he will be sold after this season. I think a stint in Dutch Eredivisie will do him good but I bet he will end up somewhere in England. My best guess is that he will end up a Toon or a Spur.

[Sinter]

Yea if he has another good season in mls and continues to solidly produce for the nat team I see him going to Europe over the summer or during the january transfer window.

[Ricochet]

Originally posted by Sinter
Yea if he has another good season in mls and continues to solidly produce for the nat team I see him going to Europe over the summer or during the january transfer window.

there is no doubt in my mind that he will be sold during the january transfer window.

[Ricochet]

United chase US starlet