FREDDY ADU to BENFICA?

[Bricktop]

Adu 'within days' of transfer

Posted: Sunday July 22, 2007 10:45AM ET

Midfielder Freddy Adu did not attend Real Salt Lake's exhibition with Everton as expected, amid his agent's intensifying efforts to arrange a transfer for RSL's highest-profile and highest-paid player to a prominent European team - a move that could occur within days. Sources confirmed media reports that Adu is most likely headed to Benfica in Portugal, in part because of how difficult it would be for him to obtain a work permit to play for either of the other two teams most interested in him, Celtic FC in Scotland or Tottenham Hotspur in England.
Salt Lake Tribune

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Freddy Adu , AP

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[HL]

It's only a matter of time.

Eat your heart out Mosiah (and company)!!!

[Mosiah]

Benfica?!?! Not even REAL Benfica?!

sigh

Please! What would be the big deal if he does sign with any one of them? It's clear that he is not the next Pele, and will never be! Every last player on that Argentine CHAMPION side better than every last player on the USA's OVERACHIEVING side, and I can bet they haven't quite spent nearly as much money as the Americans have.

[HL]

The big deal is that you would be head-over-heels if the offer was made to a Jamaican player. I would be very happy too.

Freddy is an excellent player. His best days are still to come. I wonder how you are going to cope with it?

[T.K.]

The big deal is that you would be head-over-heels if the offer was made to a Jamaican player. I would be very happy too.

Freddy is an excellent player. His best days are still to come. I wonder how you are going to cope with it?

Good for him if he can pull off any of the 3 moves being talked about (Celtic, Tottenham, Benfica). I think the best thing that could happen for Freddy right now is to get out of MLS. I have to believe that he has a bitter taste the way the league completely abused and mismanaged his experience. I have a strong feeling he'll do well once he is away from all the ridiculous expectations the league dropped into his lap. One thing I have always had to give Freddy credit for is that he is ambitious. He does not live for 2nd fiddle.

It'll be interesting to see where Szetela, Altidore, Rogers and Seitz end up when it is all said done over the next two years. Altidore was the only true center forward in the entire fifa competition. I have to believe that he'll get his offers once he turns 18.

What's the last word on Eddie Johnson. Between Derby County and Benfica I can't tell who is inline for him? I bet MLS will try and stall this one as they did with Joseph and Dempsey. Not sure how many league stars you can afford to lose in such a short period of time. - T.K.

[Zeppo]

It's clear that he is not the next Pele, and will never be!

Sounds like somebody was dumb enough to buy into the claims of a soft drink commercial.

[Mosiah]

Sounds like a few Americans well! They were the ones who made him the highest paid MLS player and centred the entire league around him.

[Mosiah]

And the sad deal is you would have been bawling if the offer was made to a Jamaican player.

[T.K.]

Sounds like a few Americans well! They were the ones who made him the highest paid MLS player and centred the entire league around him.

Yeah I think Mosiah is right on this one Zeppo. MLS were the ones who sold everyone a sack of magic beans. Mosiah was simply pointing that out. - T.K.

[Zeppo]

And if the league ends up selling him for 8 million I'd have to say it was a pretty good plan.

Besides, there were very few who were calling him the "next Pelé". His doubters like Mosiah love to seize on something like that and make a big deal out of it because it makes it easier to ignore the fact that he is just coming off a great tournament in which he was one of the best players.

HL had it right: If it were a Jamaican player getting interest like that many people here would be jumping for joy.

But instead it's a Yank, and for some people that's just a bit too hard to swallow.

[Mosiah]

Poor Zeppo. Seems like you were one of them ready with crown in hand.

[T.K.]

And if the league ends up selling him for 8 million I'd have to say it was a pretty good plan.

Besides, there were very few who were calling him the "next Pelé". His doubters like Mosiah love to seize on something like that and make a big deal out of it because it makes it easier to ignore the fact that he is just coming off a great tournament in which he was one of the best players.

HL had it right: If it were a Jamaican player getting interest like that many people here would be jumping for joy.

But instead it's a Yank, and for some people that's just a bit too hard to swallow.

If the league sells him for 8 million I would say that it would allow them to save face and be able gloss over the fact that they nearly destroyed the kid's career before it got started with all the unrealistic expectations. I will suggest that Freddy's current position is more due to his mental toughness and his time at Bradenton then anything the league did for him. My opinion is that if he makes it in Europe it will be in spite of the league and not because of it.

I think MLS learned alot with the Freddy experience and have managed Jozy Altidore's introduction into the league considerably better. If this player makes it in Europe MLS can and should give themselves a big pat on the back for giving him every opportunity to be succesful and learning from past lessons.

You are correct no one called Freddy the next Pele. What they called him was the "American Pele".

Also seeing that this is a Jamaican forum you know that if a Jamaican player had an offer from Benfica of course everyone would be jumping for joy. If I had posted on BigSoccer last year that Luton Shelton just signed for Sheffield United no one would care either. If I post that here everyone would be thrilled. It is just the way it is.

In either case I am happy for Freddy. I think he deserves a stage that matches his ambition. I hope and believe that he will be succesful in Europe and get a good 6-8+ years over there. I am also keeping my fingers crossed for Johnson, Szetela, Altidore and my main man from U of MD Robbie Rogers that they get offers over the next two years. - T.K.

[Bricktop]

he is just coming off a great tournament in which he was one of the best players.

Except when it counted. Poor Freddy. First white women now this

[Mosiah]

"You are correct no one called Freddy the next Pele. What they called him was the "American Pele"."

Semantics!

Zeppo wants to blame me for the flop he has become, because make no bones about it, he has hardly lived up to the hype.

Of course, Zeppo and HL conveniently forget that I am the one who said years ago that Freddy could start for the US senior team. I still believe he could. With the right coach, he could have made his mark. Freddy is a winger, any other position would have him struggling. But, just like the great John Barnes, with some maturity and development, Freddy could become a good midfielder.

[Zeppo]

You are correct no one called Freddy the next Pele. What they called him was the "American Pele".

Who called him the "American Pele"?

Perhaps some boneheaded newspaper reporters, but it certianly wasn't MLS to do so.

And if player who is coming off a U-20 WC like the one Freddy just had (3 goals and 3 assists in 5 games, and a Golden Ball candidate) and is on the verge of a move to a European club can be called a "flop" then I'm sure that Jamaica could use a few flops of their own.