Gooch going to Manchester United???

[aj2lagop]

ESPN today was reporting that Manchest United is ineterested in Onyweu...I think it would be a very nice fit...The Gooch is starting to step up, and his size cant be discounted...

ESPN wrote:

Red Devils in pursuit of Onyewu

According to a stateside source close to the player, Standard Liege defender Oguchi Onyewu will soon be the subject of a transfer offer from Premiership titans Manchester United.

The strapping US international has been the subject of rumored interest from several traditional European powers this summer - including Hamburg, Lazio and Newcastle - with a price tag reportedly starting in the ¬4 million neighborhood.

In early July, Standard had rejected a bid from fellow Belgian side Anderlecht.

"Man Utd has been scouting Onyewu for a while, and had been present at the Gold Cup," the source told Greg Seltzer of Yanks-Abroad on Friday morning.

"They've been in contact with Standard, and an official bid should come within ten days, probably earlier than that. They want him in as soon as possible as the season starts this weekend."

Should Onyewu transfer to Sir Alex Ferguson's Red Devils, he would join US international teammate Tim Howard at venerable Old Trafford.

Onyewu has enjoyed a stellar rise as a professional after taking early leave from Clemson University in 2002. The 6'3" dead-ball target threat was signed by longtime suitors FC Metz, but a coaching change led to a loan spell at Belgian club Louvière.

Onyewu then made the jump to Standard, where he has gained valuable UEFA Cup experience in becoming one of the Jupiler League's top performers.

The Washington D.C. native recently celebrated the CONCACAF Gold Cup crown with the US National Team, scoring a vital winner against semifinal foe Honduras.

Manchester United declined to comment on the situation, while Standard Liege have delayed making a statement to YA until the afternoon.

[gunner_21]

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5808363#post5808363

Discussed here too, looks like a real possibility. Just when I REALLY start to follow his career and he makes this switch on me! Damn ManU. :rolleyes:

[UxSxAxfooty]

That ESPN article looks an awfully lot like Yanks-Abroad's article...

[DonCorleone]

this will make me even closer to the club.

[chessplayer]

I hope he doesn't end up there. He won't start and so he won't get playing time, which he needs to grow. He can make good money playing for a lesser club and still be in the Premiership or another division of near-equal quality.
I think the same thing about Tim Howard, although I admire his efforts to stick it out at ManU, he appears to be stuck in the No 2 spot and so isn't playing either. Jonathan Spector has run into the same deal; he is loaned out (to Charlton?) and so isn't getting the playing time with ManU anyway. Gooch would only hope for as much if he came to ManU. Couldn't they just call him back rather than go out and sign a new player?
Fergie is looking for cheap ways to build his team and hoping that signing up-and-coming youngsters will pay off. I'm surprised that there isn't anyone in their reserve system worthy of checking out.

[ariadland]

That ESPN article looks an awfully lot like Yanks-Abroad's article...


it is the yanks abroad article, the two sites have a relationship with each other and the espn page cites yanks abroad at the bottom of the article

[DonCorleone]

from the ManU website,

www.manutd.com/news/fullstory.sps?inewsid=220990

[DCFAN96]

Good move, poor timing. No way should he go to ManU a year before the WC. While he is very skilled and has an almost limitless upside bottom line is that he won't start for ManU this season (unless some goes down). He needs to have consistent PT to keep his spot on the Nat team, which he won't get at ManU. I really hope this deal doesn't go through the last thing we need is to have our most promising defender waste away his talent on the bench (similar to whats going on with Boca). Him going to Newcastle or Birgingham however would be great.

[Heathens '87]

Good move, poor timing. No way should he go to ManU a year before the WC. While he is very skilled and has an almost limitless upside bottom line is that he won't start for ManU this season (unless some goes down). He needs to have consistent PT to keep his spot on the Nat team, which he won't get at ManU. I really hope this deal doesn't go through the last thing we need is to have our most promising defender waste away his talent on the bench (similar to whats going on with Boca). Him going to Newcastle or Birgingham however would be great.


Gooch would be a fool not to take an opportunity to sign with a club of this level. It's a profesional no-brainer, and you can work on playing time issues.

Ideally, in my book, he'd sign with Manchester United and compete for time. I'm not so sure that he won't be able to earn significant playing time this season, but if not, he should simply make the club understand, when signing, that he wants to play - for United or on loan. His WC future is at stake, and that's a demand that he can make at this point.

Boca is different. He got playing time, didn't do much with it, and doesn't quite have a role with Fulham. He's fallen out of favor....it's not that he's young, or inexperienced, or they've got clearly better options. Fine player...wrong team for him. Both he and the team are exploring transfer options....what else is there to do?!

Onyewu on Manchester United would be good for Gooch, good for ManU, and good for US soccer. Work out the issues and sign!!!

[four]

[QUOTE=chessplayer] Couldn't they just call him back rather than go out and sign a new player?
QUOTE]

Spector is nowhere near the player that Onyewu is right now. Probably as much to do with experience and physical maturity as anything else. Of course I would love for both of them to succeed at ManU or anywhere else.

[DonCorleone]

Just wearing the red uniform and seating along with other (allan smith, fletcher, fortune, howard etc ) on the bench is the best thing to ever happen to any soccer player.

[Aquarius21]

Good move, poor timing. No way should he go to ManU a year before the WC. While he is very skilled and has an almost limitless upside bottom line is that he won't start for ManU this season (unless some goes down). He needs to have consistent PT to keep his spot on the Nat team, which he won't get at ManU. I really hope this deal doesn't go through the last thing we need is to have our most promising defender waste away his talent on the bench (similar to whats going on with Boca). Him going to Newcastle or Birgingham however would be great.

Exactly. Right now Bruce is telling EJ to stay with Dallas till at least after the WC so he doesn't have to worry about adjusting to a new team and possibly not getting the minutes he needs to get better. Onyewu should also take this advice. If he ends up going to ManU and not playing, that could seriously hurt his chance of making the squad. Better to wait

[russ]

Just wearing the red uniform and seating along with other (allan smith, fletcher, fortune, howard etc ) on the bench is the best thing to ever happen to any soccer player.

A Mr. Kirovski for you on line 2...

And Mr.Howard left a message about needing a new set of tweezers for this year....

[Austin_Anderson]

makes sense for ManU - brings in more american fans and they might be able to sell a few more clothing articles. reminiscent of the Park signing.

[luvdagame]

makes no sense for gooch - if he doesn't play.

[Bigrose30]

As discussed on other threads...I'm not sure he will get a work permit. So it might not matter.

[FirstStar]

Personally, I'd like to know how he is going to get his UK work permit. Does he have Belgian citizenship yet?

Going and sitting on the bench is not a good idea. If ManU wants him now, Chelsea might want him after the WC next year. He should be careful.

[Dr.Phil]

i think its a good move

[California Jack]

Good move, poor timing. No way should he go to ManU a year before the WC. While he is very skilled and has an almost limitless upside bottom line is that he won't start for ManU this season (unless some goes down). He needs to have consistent PT to keep his spot on the Nat team, which he won't get at ManU. I really hope this deal doesn't go through the last thing we need is to have our most promising defender waste away his talent on the bench (similar to whats going on with Boca). Him going to Newcastle or Birgingham however would be great.


Even assuming he might not start every EPL match, don't forget that ManU plays a fair # of other matches, such as Champions League, Carling Cup, FA Cup, and hey, defending against Ronaldo and Smith in practices might be just as helpful to developing his game as playing against Belgian strikers in league matches.

Having said that, I admit I'd prefer to see him playing for an EPL side where he'd start.

[DonCorleone]

I have the feeling that Sylvertre will be sold, and Gooch will be paired with Ferdinand, cool or what, huh ?! .... Sylvestre technicaly should be out of ManU because he is a French and the owner is American, go figure it out yourself ... ;)