http://www.soccernews.com/michael-bradley-benfica-radar/150619/ Saw this today and was a little surprised. It probably wont happen this year but I thought I would share. Here's the original article if you can read portuguese: http://www.record.xl.pt/Futebol/Nacional/1a_liga/Benfica/interior.aspx?content_id=895071
If he goes back to Europe, and I won't be surprised if does, it won't be for a team in a smaller league like Portugal.
Benfica is a pretty storied team that's doing well, but he won't move to a team that isn't in one of the top leagues.
benfica is one of the big three in portugal and they're regularly in the champions league (they beat PSG in december and they enter in the group stage for 2014-15). i'd rather bradley stay in mls, but let's not downplay benfica.
It's pretty reductive to just say "Portugal." It's a team that consistently shows up in at least the CL Group Stages and is often good enough to advance. It may not be as big as Roma, but it's no small club
who are you people? do you like soccer? ever watch it? you should read up on Benfica a bit, pretty big deal if you ask me and a lot of other people....
If its all about learning another new language, he should just get Rosetta Stone Portugese and avoid the transfer all together.
I think they're talking about the Portuguese League in general not Benfica. Besides Sporting, Benfica, and Porto the rest of the league isn't very good
Didn't MLS pay 100m for both Defoe & Bradley? Lol no chance this happens. MLS probably laughing at any offers. He's also a father now. I think that had a big impact on him coming back to MLS and taking the money.
I do get the feeling if he returns to Europe, it will be to familiar territory. He may have had his feel of Italy, but Germany might be an option. There are lots of areas where his family will be able to live comfortably and good schooling will be available for the kids.
Does Benfica have a history of paying the types of transfer fees (and salary) it would take to get Bradley? given what TFC has committed, I'd have to think they're not going to sell for less than $18 million. Not saying that's what he's worth on the open market, but I do think that's his minimum on the 'TFC is the one you have to buy him from" market. Edit: Oh wait, MLS gets a big cut...make that $22 million
Benfica have the transfer money but here's where it goes wrong - 1st - the club is notorious for going after the starlets on the rise - De Maria, Coentrao, Markovic, Garay (even Adu was a "future buy"). Mikey at 27 is nowhere near that status. 2nd - there's no way in h-e-double-soccer-goal-posts that they can pay anywhere close to TFC's wages ... Dumb rumor. Wrong age, wrong wage, wrong sage.
The details surrounding the MB and Defoe transfers are hazy (at least to me), but I seem to remember that the league put up the money for the transfer fees, and the club pays the salaries. That was why Philly fans were pissed with the Edu signing, because the league refused to pay the transfer fee on him. Of course, my memory may not be serving us well.
Benfica is solid. Outside the top teams, the league in Portugal is poor and below the standard a player like Bradley should be facing weekly. Obviously there are games in Europe but how many and how often?
This just does not make any sense...financially. Teams like Benifca normally pay decent money for younger players so they can sell them when they hit their mid 20s. MB is 27, so Benfica can't expect to sell him for a profit when he would be 29. Also, would Benfica be willing to pay $6M in annual salary for 5 years? I just can't this happening. So, in order for this to happen, Benfica would have to shell out about a $1oM transfer, plus $6M/year for 4-5 years. Anyone? OK, so this just seems crazy, right? Of course, no one would have believed MB would go to Toronto either.
Let's not underestimate the importance of earning a living. The guy has to take care of his kids, his wife and his parents.
Oh, I think the rumor is ridiculous and there's no reason he'd sign for a team in Portugal after coming home to earn huge wages but the irony of saying Portugal is beneath Bradley is a bit much.
My reasoning 1. Italtian league is better and more reputable 2. Benifica isnt a name most casual usa fans know 3. He just joined MLS on a big deal, and mls is growing 4. Portugal would be a good option if he was 20-22
Yes, it would have made some sense if he was a subject of interest while on the bench at Roma ... but that's water under a Tiber bridge.
Is Record reputable at all with this stuff? On the one hand it does appear to be the most read sports publication in Portugal. On the other hand, that's never been a guaranty that a paper isn't a complete rag. This story just doesn't seem to make a lot of sense.