Beasley Moved to PSV Eindhoven
U.S. national team midfielder DaMarcus Beasley will travel to the Netherlands this week and is expected to sign a contract with PSV Eindhoven, the Dutch club said Monday.
Beasley, 22, is in his fifth season with the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer and has become a regular on the left side for the U.S. national team since making his debut in January 2001 against China.
“There are talks, but no signed deal yet,” MLS spokesman Simon Borg said.
PSV spokesman Pedro Salazar said Beasley would undergo a physical and then travel with the team to France for a practice match against Caen on Wednesday.
According to PSV’s website, the deal would be worth about $2.5 million.
“He is delighted to be joining a club as big as PSV and one that competes in European tournaments like the UEFA Cup and Champions League,” Beasley’s agent Lyle Yorks said. “He’s appreciative to everyone in Major League Soccer and the Fire for what they have done for him and is very excited to join PSV.”
Galaxy Ailing
The Galaxy could be without at least four key players when it plays a fourth-round U.S. Open Cup game tonight at 5 at the Metrodome in Minneapolis against the Minnesota Thunder of the A-League.
Galaxy midfielders Cobi Jones and Andreas Herzog will sit out. Jones suffered a bruised right knee in Saturday’s game against D.C. United and Herzog strained his lower back, forcing him to sit out most of the second half.
Also ailing are defender Tyrone Marshall, who has a bruised lower right leg suffered Saturday, and midfielder Marcelo Saragosa, who aggravated an injured right ankle.
Lavolpe Under Fire
Mexico Coach Ricardo Lavolpe acknowledged that Sunday’s 4-0 loss to Brazil at Copa America could have been his last at the helm.
Lavolpe did not attend a postgame news conference, but an Argentine television station caught up later.
“I’m going to tell the president of the Mexican Football Federation that I’m leaving the way open for someone else,” Lavolpe told the station. “I’m tired of the criticism, but I’m going peacefully. I don’t want to put up with this any more. I’m not saying this in the heat of the moment. Nothing has changed in 1 1/2 years and there should have been an improvement by now. Everyone knows there’s a campaign and it can’t be stopped anymore.”
Drogba to Chelsea
Chelsea agreed to sign Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba from Marseille. Reports in British newspapers put the transfer fee at around $44.88 million.
That would be a record for the club and push the amount spent by Russian owner Roman Abramovich on transfers in the last year to almost $374 million.
A statement on Chelsea’s website said Drogba would join the team on its exhibition tour in the United States.
Quick Passes
Rivaldo’s move to Bolton in the English Premier League may yet go ahead after the Brazilian former FIFA world player of the year agreed to join the club’s Portuguese training base this week, the Independent reported. Rivaldo, 32, declined to join the team two months ago but recently asked if he could reconsider. Coach Sam Allardyce, however, said on the team’s website that Rivaldo would not be joining the team.... Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira will this week ask in writing to quit the club to join Real Madrid, the Daily Mirror reported.... Chelsea will seal the signing of Benfica midfielder Tiago for $15 million today, Portuguese sports daily Record said.... Newcastle United’s negotiations to sign Barcelona striker Patrick Kluivert on loan are at a “very advanced stage,” Spanish sports daily Marca reported.... Japan midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata has joined promoted Serie A club Fiorentina from cash-strapped Parma for an undisclosed sum.... World Cup semifinalist South Korea was held to a 0-0 tie by Jordan in the Asian Cup at Jinan, China. In the other game, Kuwait scored three goals in the first half and beat the United Arab Emirates, 3-1.
-- Compiled by Jim Barrero
