What next for Omar Gonzalez

With the season over and having been very successful for Omar Gonzalez, it's hard not to imagine there isn't going to be interest in the big guy from clubs in Mexico and Europe.

And, I won't be at all surprised if Omar is looking for new challenges. In three seasons in LA, he's been Rookie of the Year, Best XI twice and Defender of the Year won two Supporters' Shields, played in a pair of MLS Cups and won one of them. And he just turned 23.

In Mexico he would count as a foreign player because of his parents and at 6-5 I'd think there'd be interest in him both there and in many leagues in Europe.

And then there's the little issue of being overlooked by the national team. Would playing abroad help his chances of getting looks from Jurgen Klinsmann?

Other relevant questions include Does Omar want to go? How much would MLS want for him? And how much interest, if any, is there from clubs abroad and are they willing to pay what MLS will want?

So how many clubs has Gonzalez been linked to so far? The only one I can recall specifically is Roma, and then "a Bundesliga club and two Ligue 1 sides":

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/06/10/roma-other-euro-clubs-interested-galaxys-gonzalez

Any others?

MLS will make him an expensive buy. LA will do everything in their power to keep him.

Sounds like he's on the last year of his contract now (for the 2012 season). If he wants to try Europe, he'll hopefully make the point to MLS/Galaxy reps that they can either sell him this winter/summer and make some money, or refuse to sell and make nothing. Hopefully he doesn't have any option years like Donovan did.

I expect both Gonzalez and George John to be gone before the start of the 2012 MLS season. John obviously has more options with his Greek passport in hand.

The first round of that 2009 draft has provided some really good defenders: John, Gonzalez, Rodney Wallace, Matt Besler, Kevin Alston, etc. The least productive defender in that 1st round is Jeremy Hall.........who's played ~60 MLS games for Portland, Dallas, and New York. Then DeLaGarza & Darius Barnes were taken in later rounds. Pretty good..............

Hopefully Europe

playing abroad would help, sitting abroad would not.

Sadly I do see Omar moving abroad. He is a great young defender and I'd imagine winning MLS's best defender of the year really got his name out there.

Ya think?

I dunno, do you really think LA will let Omar, Becks and possibly Landon all leave?

Arena secretly relishes the challenge

What is the best league Omar could transfer to right now?

As a Galaxy supporter, I can see Omar leaving during the summer. Galaxy will want to keep him to finish off this season's CONCACAF champions league games. It is Omar's last season on contract, and I think Omar wants to try his trade at a higher level while Galaxy wants to make some money off his moving. Though I would accept nothing less than a mid table top 5 team personally. I would prefer him staying but I am aware that it is not likely with his skills.

Was very enjoyable to have him along AJ in the center for last season. A young centerback duo that bossed the league all season while apprenticing under Berhalter.

Bundesliga

As far as LA goes, if they lose some key players then they can always go out and grab some new names for publicity. They already have Robbie Keane. Several months ago Seltzer had a story linking them with Totti. There have to be some big names that could fit into the equation. The Anelka rumor has popped up a couple times. Heck, Drogba isn't getting a lot of games for Chelsea and he just might be iconoclastic enough to try a move to America. LA will have options no matter who stays or goes.

Maybe they can get Rafa Marquez on a free to replace Omar. uke:

Doesn't he have a Mexican passport?
Wouldn't this help him get a Spanish passport (with appropriate residency requirements of course)?

I could see him going to the Belgian League or the Netherlands.

Apparently there were english scouts watching Gonzalez at the MLS cup final. Omar wouldn't qualify for a work permit though because Jurgen doesn't include him in his rosters but maybe the Mexican passport could come in handy?

I'd like to see Gonzalez start training with a Bundesliga team, much like the MLSers who Klinsmann has actually called in, this year.

He's improved each year and is leaving without a doubt, after next season. If he does enough in training, the Galaxy/MLS might be willing to accept a reasonable deal in January, rather than lose him for nothing, after next season.

I don't think that means anything.

Omar Salgado obtained a Spanish passport, but that was by way of a Spanish grandparent, not for being Mexican.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...es-highlight-unprotected-expansion-draft-list

If Bruce has lined up a replacement, he is gone.

Friendlies don't count towards the 75 percent cap threshold for a work permit so Juergen's exclusion of Omar won't impact that.

Being left out of the World Cup and Gold Cup, however...

Yeah I don't think Bruce would already have replacements if he didn't think Omar would leave.

Notice the key words in the graph Dr. Phil quoted; "potential departure" and "could attract offers".

Nothing substantial.

This is true biggest thing that stands in his way his he wont get for a work permit.