http://www.planetfootball.com/article.asp?id=149790&Title=Reyna+may+not+get+chance+to+shine Manager of Sunderland Mick McCarthy says that he "would be delighted to have a player of (Reyna's) calibre" BUT... "if a club comes in and wants him, you might find he wants to play in the Premiereship". This is the first quoted talk to my knowledge of what has been rumored or assumed about Reyna. Reading between the lines, it sounds to me like McCarthy is preparing supporters for his departure. Supporting evidence to me is the fact that Reyna wants to play in the Gold Cup after such a long convalescence. We know how much Euro teams hate their regulars to miss preseason training for these type of tournaments. Is it because Sunderland wants to put Claudio in the shop window?
The rule of thumb, at least the last few years, for a club related to div 1 from the premeirship is that they need to half their wage bill. So Sunderland really does need to offload their big names. They're best selling Reyna as soon as they can both for wages and what they'll get for him. But since he's coming off of a knee injury at his age, other clubs probably aren't going to be in a hurry to sign him. In fact, playing in the Gold Cup would be the best thing for Sunderland. It gives him a chance to prove his knee is back to normal and that he can play at high levels. If he goes and hurts himself, Sunderland are stuck with him until next January.
Reyna has been a good soldier for Sunderland, but I don't think he would turn down any offers to move up into the Premiership.
The big question in my mind is whether anybody will want Reyna. Sure, we all know he is a quality player, but he is just so damn injury prone, I think most teams would regard him as a gamble. I certainly would. Whether that keeps teams away en toto, or simply drives down his price, remains to be seen. I really hope there are suitors to rescue him from the first division -- he's too good to languish in that league.
I would bet most interested clubs want to see him play half a season healthy and then bid on him in January....
Reyna's injury problems will certainly scare off people but given Sunderland's wage issues, he will be available at a basement bargain, probably even lower than Matt Holland's sub-1 million transfer to Portsmouth. I think the initial rumor at the top of the thread is perfectly plausible. The main catch...Claudio himself! The stated reason he left the Rangers was a long-held desire to play in the EPL. The unstated reason: to cash in during the Autumn of his career. He will almost certainly have to take a pay cut to join his new team (whoever that may be) & he may be simply unwilling. Particularly if it's a lower table club that may not stay up anyway. I think he'll at least start the season in Sunderland & then take it from there. Ultimately, it doesn't matter - he's no longer in the developmental stage of his career, like Beasley & Donovan, & a year (if it's only that) in the 1st Division won't hurt.
Guys, Lets not forget what a quality player Claudio is. He still has some life left in those legs. At 29 he is hardly over the hill. With his skill, compsure, and experience, he is bargain for the 1.5 or 2 million he would probably go for. If the asking price was what Sunderland paid, he would not have any chance of changing teams.
How many more matches a season can Sunderland expect to play this year as a result of being in the First Division?
also keep in mind that PLENTY of players have ACL tears. It is a major injury, but one that half the team has had! It almost never is career ending these days and he is expected to make an absolutely full recovery. It might drop his price a bit but I am quite sure that conventional wisdom is that he will be as effective as ever next season- his work habits are not to be confused with those of a certain fat red-neck from Georgia.
Please let Claudio move to Spain...please...please...please. I think Claudio would flourish in Spain or Italy, either one. Sampdoria!!! That's the place for Claudio. Once again I can dream, and I didn't say West Ham this time.
Shame if Claudio doesn't get picked up by a champions league side. After watching that CL final where continuity in the midfield was non-existent, with the poor play IMO of Seedorf especially, that Reyna isn't an improvement for most of the CL squads last season going into this one is beyond me. I would think that bringing in Claudio Reyna would improve 90% of the teams in Europes top leagues.
I doubt Sunderland will sell Reyna. After his injury, they really won't get that much for him. Reyna will play with Sunderland for the beginning of the season, and if he plays well, they could sell him in January if offered a nice amount of money if they are not in the picture to go back up to the Premier League.
Unfortunately Sunderlands leadership is notoriously stupid, so they will give away their best player. It's obvious.
Or somewhere similar. That would be a great move. DIversify the locations of USA field players. Kinda tired having to hear all decent Yanks are either in England or Germany.
Nothing really new on the Claudio front - Phillips seems set for Boro, Flo seems to be resigned to no one coming for him. Healy's move to S'land might be off in favor of Villa. Lalandes is still likely to stay at Bastia or go to Nice. There's still some mention McCarthy is going to go after Shaun Goater and Connolly from Wimbeldon. Meanwhile, a little interview with former S'land player Darren Halloway mentions Reyna and Jody Craddock as key to S'land promotion hopes. http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/..._headline=-The-keys-to-success-name_page.html "But if they can hold on to a couple of players that will stand them in good stead - Claudio Reyna could be key for them because he can pick a pass and thread great balls through for the front men. Yeah, yeah, I know it's not much, but you takes what you can gets.