Honestly, I think your source didn't have all of the facts. PSV interest has been noted for awhile and came from sources close to the player. You went all in on your guy and ultimately you were wrong. No big deal.
It is the manager of PSV himself that tells the ED/VI journo's that he contacted the EPB people in august to talk about a transfer in januari. He didnot mention any contact before that at all. Plus he mentioned that later EPB had signed with ManCity, implying further talks didnot take place. "'In augustus hebben wij contact gehad met de zaakwaarnemer van Palmer-Brown over een transfer in de winter, maar inmiddels heeft hij getekend bij Manchester City', aldus technisch manager Marcel Brands tegenover Voetbal International." "In august we contacted the agent of EPB about a transfer in the winter, but meanwhile he signed with ManCity, thus the technical manager Marcel Brands towards Voetbal International"
I'm not talking about the Metro or whatever, reading their stuff is pretty much reading Mad Libs. Brian has said that the deal was finalized around the time of the All Star break, which was August 2nd. That doesn't seem like hitting the panic button to me. Likely, they were pursuing him early on, and then when they realized the deal was already done, they realized that since Man City was signing him on a free in January, they can't bring him in on a loan until then either, and their focus moved elsewhere for the time being. As the article says, it is still possible EPB moves to PSV in January.
Doesn't interest come before contact? You may be right, but based on what we know, and not what you speculate, you look more wrong than right. I'd stop digging if I were you.
You know and I both know if they contacted the agent about a transfer then that wasn't the first conversation. That also means PSV probably had done extensive scouting and research on the player. Which is why their name kept coming up linked to Erik.
Although EPB did not play in the US Open Cup final last night, he played the full 120 minutes in the quarterfinal against Dallas back in July. Thus, so he has won what we hope is the first of many trophies as a professional. *EPB was also on the team in 2015, but I don't know if he actually played in the competition when Sporting KC won it that year.
From the SKC website: 2015: MLS regular season: Earned seven appearances with four starts (376 minutes played) and contributed to one shutout. Made his first start of the season in a 1-1 draw at D.C. United on May 9, becoming the youngest MLS player in 2015 to start in defense. MLS Cup Playoffs: Did not feature. Open Cup: Did not feature. All-Star: Started and played 71 minutes in the 2015 MLS Chipotle Homegrown Game on July 28, a 5-4 penalty kick loss to the Club America U-20s after a 1-1 draw through regulation.
If it wasn't for his performance against Dallas, they wouldn't have won this tournament. That was their toughest game, and he was the best player on the field. He was unbelievably good in that match.
After checking, Palmer-Brown made the bench a few times for Sporting KC in the US Open Cup in 2015, including for the final, but as you mention he didn't play any minutes in the tournament. I don't know if that's enough to earn a winner's medal. In any event, EPB has a winner's medal now.
He also consoled Tyler Adams after the final. Big S/O to my boy @tyler_adams14 he balled out there today and is a beast! Never stopped running🏃🏾. Love you bro, head up. pic.twitter.com/7lmuOAldS7— Erik Palmer-Brown (@ErikBrown14) September 21, 2017
I love how this thread went all Jovan Kirovski: http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110...ovan-kirovskis-uefa-champions-league-medal-of
As a City fan I can say that we will likely look to sign Alderweireld this summer, as Pep really wants an experienced ball playing center back to go along with Stones, given Kompany's injury record/age hence why we were trying to sign Jonny Evans but WBA wanted too much. Stones is starting to look like he is maturing, so perhaps Pep won't be so desperate, but Stones' partner for the future otherwise is a major question mark leaving EPB a chance as the future 3rd CB. Unless Mangala really improves he will be gone (we tried all summer to get rid), and Otamendi is someone I can see as surplus to requirements unless if EBP can prove himself at PSV. The only other potential center back he might be competing with is Tosin Adarabioyo, a 20 year old (few months younger than EPB) City academy product from Manchester, who a lot of our fans want to see get games, but he has yet to really show enough to Pep to get any yet, but I hear he hasn't played for the EDS/U-23's yet either. He may go out on loan since English league teams can still take players on loan, I believe, and was rumored to have gone to Sunderland at the end of the summer transfer window on loan, but it never transpired. He was rumored also to almost have left for Everton late last season, but signed a new contract. Point is, he does have a chance, if he does well at PSV this season. Seems more likely he could go to Girona next season and then possibly City the season after, but could be different if some things go in his favor.
If I'm missing the joke, whoops... but reality is he can't go on loan to NYCFC as far as I understand. No way Sporting KC would have agreed to this without that as a requirement, regardless of any other rules.
ManCity loaned players into the Eredivisie arenot very succesfull as their team NAC Breda has been eliminated by amateurs in the Dutch Cup first round : Achilles’29-NAC 4-3 (2-1) – 7. Vloet 0-1, 14. Oulad Omar 1-1, 25. Mets 1-2, 60. Van de Beek 2-2 (pen.), 65. Wouters 3-2, 74. Felomina 4-2, 90. + 4. Enevoldsen 4-3. With low point the frustration foul red card for Vloet. This is the club with 7 ManCity players. They are, mildly phrased, struggling in the league too. The only one reasonably succesfull was Enes Ünal at Twente, who signed a contract with Villarreal this summer. PSV last summer was outbid for Zinchenko by Manchester City, and he got loaned to them. PSV now are happy he chose to sign with ManCity, because he turned out to be a total bust and thus ManCity saved them wasted transfer money. They sent him back to ManCity this summer. Manchester City decision to send players to the Netherlands seems to be based on scientific studies proving talents emerge and develop faster in the Netherlands than anywhere else. But from the loans up till now only Enes Ünal really made it. This is in contrast with Chelsea, that have far better results with players loaned over here. Do you have an idea why that's the case?
And just after I wrote it, NAC for the first time in history won in the "Kuip", after several personal mistakes of which the ball given to the NAC player in front of an open goal by our goalie was the most hilarious.
EPB gets a few minutes in garbage time for Sporting KC today after Besler had to get taken off due to a Jack McBean elbow.
I was going to say, Ünal did really well in The Netherlands last season, so hard to say our players haven't done well, but I'm not naive and know most have not. Yet, there's a reason for this. I don't follow the Eredivisie but I heard that our players did quite well in a match against Feynoord last week that was reported by CityWatch a major City fan site that does reports on City players on loan. The thing is the players we tend to send to NAC Breda are not City's best prospects. They tend to be those that aren't good enough, or haven't lived up to expectations by the time they are reaching 20-21, to get offers from clubs at a high enough level that can promise more opportunities to play, so it's better to get game time rather than sit on the bench if they hit a poor spell of form. Ünal was loaned out to Twente and was a huge hit. We sold him for a massive profit, but he also didn't quite fit into Pep's style of play as he's more of a poacher, and more evidence to support this is how we sold Ihenacho who was loved by fans and had a crazy goal scoring rate the season before, and actually all-time in the PL (up there with Aguero and Jesus at a similar number of games minimum). Zinchenko was considered a very top prospect when City bought him as there was a big fight with Dortmund for his signature. It didn't work out last season, but that's how things go sometimes. EPB I think is considered a notch above the NAC Breda prospects, at least, and hence why he is going to PSV, who are a more reputable club, rather than City's Erdedivisie "feeder club." I also think City see him as a possible long term prospect as a defender for Pep, as he seems to have the tools to be a ball playing defender as required for City's style of play.
He was really solid. The goal was a work of art, and he got onto at a corner kick and headed back across goal for a play that led to one of SKC's six should have scored opportunites (stunning keeper play). In the last 10 minutes, Opara looked to have twisted an ankle after the third sub was used, and EPB stepped up and covered for him (though Vancouver were killing time more than attacking at that point, he had a couple plays to make). He was very calm on the ball, strong in tackles. His outlets need a bit of work. SKC makes a big deal in playing out of the back and he had a couple of the nerve wracking passes about in the box in traffic, but he pulled them off well enough. Given Opara's twist and the unsure status of Besler's mangled face, he might have more starts coming.
If Besler's called up to the NT, he'll start the next two SKC games as they come during the international window. And then if Opara's out further, maybe he starts some playoff games.
Does anyone else think Opara's been really bad since his concussion? I'm sure thats why he's struggling, but when everyone returns, could Vermes recognize how poorly Opara's been playing and instead opt for EPB? I can't be the only one who thinks Opara's really been struggling recently.