It'll be a damn shame when he leaves. Hopefully MLS and DC can at least get some serious cash for him.
I was thinking the same thing. However, he was speaking to a UK journalist and was obviously speaking to the UK fans... hope he doesn't spit on anybody there (kidding, I'm KIDDING)
What he said in this interview is pretty much the same thing that he's said to anyone since he started playing at Forest. The main question for us I think is if MLS is gonna hold him to his final contract year (next year). IIRC Forest doesn't have much money for transfer fees so I think the odds are pretty good that he'll be back next year, but I can't imagine him signing an extention with MLS.
Noone in Europe has money right now, especially a First Division English club that was having financial troubles before all of the problems now. Does MLS have any option years after the next?
It would be really nice to see Olsen play well for United for a while before he returns to England. Who knows, maybe we will get lucky and get to keep him for next season. The only problem being that the MLS playoffs conflict with the start of EPL, possibly causing more problems due to the transfer window. Unless it would be possible for him to sign a contract prior to the closing of the transfer window and join Forest (or whomever) at the close of the MLS season.
I told him at Meet the Team Day not to go back to Europe too soon, and he said he wouldn't. Take that for what it's worth.
I don't think Ben will go anywhere until after next season, and even then who knows. He is still JUST coming back from a string of serious injuries and operations, and as much as WE love him and think he's great, from a footballing perspective, he's got to prove himself all over again. And playing for United in the last 8 games or so of the season ain't gonna do it. Anyone who might consider buying him would know how good he was before, how badly injured he was and for how long, and will want to see OVER TIME, how Ben returns to form. Some strong training in the off season and a return to pre-injury form next season will likely draw a lot of interest from foreign clubs, but I would be surprised to see him wearing any other club's jersey next year. Also, like Ursula said, he's been saying these things for ages, it's not like it's something new, or that it's any closer to reality than it was before.
Did anyone read the article. It basically comes down to him wanting to get back in shape. He's been off so long, and the MLS offseason is 6 months long, he just wants to get some work in so he can get back into the national team picture. Forrest is the most likely place for that to happen.
The Forest supporters all seem to love him as much as we do, and would probably love to have him back at the City Ground in any capacity. The problem is that Forest has changed manager's (old manager David Platt took over the England U-21's, so Forest promoted their youth director Paul Hart to the top manager's position). Hart has been using a diamond midfield as opposed to the winger system Platt used- plus we have no idea if Hart was as sold on Benny as Platt was. And of course Forest's financial situation complicates all this, but this isn't really about a transfer (not at this time anyway) so much as it is about Benny getting back to full match fitness.
Why can't they legalize human cloning? Olsen, if smart, will stay with DC for at leat another season. And MLS, if smart, will ask for a BIG check.