Is it time to get this rumor started? 1) Onyewu told Goff he didn't think he'd be back in Spain and he was "looking for other options" but "not ready to leave Europe yet." http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/26/oguchi-onyewu-has-critical-career-choices-ahead/ 2) Then Onyewu shows up in the owners' box at the Union-Stoke friendly https://twitter.com/OguchiOnyewu5/status/362586949489410051
Gooch also come out and say DCU was his preferred location if he were to come to MLS. Kind of keeps up with the current trend of players "declaring" that they want to play in their hometowns. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/oguchi-onyewu-d-c-united-121420258--mls.html He'd also have to go through all the allocation gymnastics which, if the Union is looking at him, means they'd have to make a deal with TFC (I believe) for their top spot.
And then there's this nugget from Goff: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/wp/2013/08/01/thursday-kickaround-8/
He definitely should. Can't imagine he'll have too many offers this transfer season. Maybe France, Belgium, Turkey.
Seeing how he's on the "wrong side of 30", I don't know what his demand would be overseas anymore. Although not at the same level as Dempsey, now would be a good time to strike while the proverbial iron is hot and continue his career in MLS. I wouldn't be surprised if other US national players are inquiring about their future in this league, like the rumored Charlie Davies-to-New England move.
I would like to see him back in MLS. Hope he makes a quick recovery - that was a scary-looking fall in the Gold Cup.
If he's not ready to leave Europe, maybe he was there because of Stoke. They seem pretty keen on American players right now.
Gooch is a free agent now, having mutually agreed with Sporting to part ways. There's no way he can sign with MLS now, right? I can't remember what the caveat is regarding free agents and the MLS/N American transfer window.
Why wouldn't he be able to? The roster freeze hasn't kicked in yet, I thought (usually is mid-september). Only the transfer window had closed.
I believe he'd had to have been a free agent either before the N American transfer window opened, or while it was open, not after it had closed.
This. The rule is: "Players may only be registered during one of the two annual registration periods fixed by the relevant association. As an exception to this rule, a professional whose contract has expired prior to the end of a registration period may be registered outside that registration period." The only registration period that matters is the incoming confederation's. So Onyewu could be eligible to sign in Europe, but not in MLS.