Ream Joins Bolton

[Manny]

Time to give this it's own thread I think. It's looking increasingly likely that Tim Ream will be joining us within the next week.

Talks over Tim Ream's potential move to Bolton are at an 'advanced stage', according to the player's agent, Patrick McCabe.

With Gary Cahill set to leave Wanderers in the coming days, Ream has been cited as the successor to the England international.

It is understood a fee of around £2.5million has been agreed between Bolton and New York Red Bulls and McCabe believes a move could be completed within the week.

"Negotiations between Major League Soccer and Bolton are at an advanced stage and ongoing," McCabe told Goal.com.

"We hope to have a positive resolution for Tim in the next few days."

http://www.burndenaces.co.uk/news/ream_talks_at_%27advanced_stage%27_2135

[azreal88]

It'll be interesting to see what the fee is.  Reports here say £2.5mil, reports over the pond claim it's more like $2.5mil.

[largehat]

Don't hold your breath, azreal, Wanderers are into that undisclosed bollocks. Like it's none of our business. Like we don't contribute towards the cost.

[azreal88]

I think any fees paid to the MLS have to be released, under leagues rules.  So it'll come out that way.

[largehat]

Cool!

[azreal88]

Worryingly, I was talking to a guy I know who is involved in the game over there and he was saying Arsenal were after Ream in the summer; but they eventually put their money elsewhere.  Given Wenger's history buying centre halves, I'm not sure it bodes well that he rated Ream.

[aarons2009]

I personally have no opinion on this deal, I have never heard of him and if he was playing for the US in the world cup I can't remember him at all.

Saying that his club said they were not for selling but are apparantly to accept 2.5million either suggests they don't really rate him that much or they are piss poor at negotiating.....or they are skint.

[bwfcbob123]

Might be a decent signing considering he's only 24(same age as Wheater) and we are very short on centre backs, even with Cahill we only have 4 who can be considered "1st teamers" and that includes Boyata. He is crap and going back to shitty at the end of the season and Knight's (who is also crap) contract runs out at the end of the season. So I'd welcome this move personally, because we need back up.

[scott1]

Yer bring him in,I carnt think of anybody else for the price.Might be a gem?

[Didledee]

The American Maldini according to me Holden

[bigsamsarmyusa]

In today's Daily Mail:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2083440/Bolton-bid-2-25m-Tim-Ream-New-York-Red-Bulls.html

Apparently it is pounds, not dollars.

[H. Pedersen]

I think any fees paid to the MLS have to be released, under leagues rules.  So it'll come out that way.

Believe it's actually the other way around, MLS teams never disclose the value of deals, although that may only be for incoming transfers.

[H. Pedersen]

Saying that his club said they were not for selling but are apparantly to accept 2.5million either suggests they don't really rate him that much or they are piss poor at negotiating.....or they are skint.

You need to understand how MLS does player sales to teams abroad.  As I recall the selling team only gets 2/3 of the transfer money; the league splits the rest among the other teams.  Furthermore, only $650,000 of that can really be used on salary and transfers; the rest has to be spent on youth development.  Ergo, any sale in the $1 million+ range is in a team's interest.

Plus, if New York blocked a young player's move to the EPL, they'd never be able to sign a good prospect again.  Who is going to risk getting stuck in New York because the team doesn't want to deal?

[azreal88]

Believe it's actually the other way around, MLS teams never disclose the value of deals, although that may only be for incoming transfers.

I thought they had this "transparency" thing in place for accounts at the MLS?

[azreal88]

Plus, if New York blocked a young player's move to the EPL, they'd never be able to sign a good prospect again.  Who is going to risk getting stuck in New York because the team doesn't want to deal?

It's not just that.  This transfer is seen as good for the national team, and for the 'rep' of US soccer; so I'd think NY would be under considerable pressure from the league to sell.

[Wiggy]

Let's hope he sign's and is available for cold trafford.He could be our secret weapon and suprise them.

[H. Pedersen]

I thought they had this "transparency" thing in place for accounts at the MLS?

Yes and no.  Some things are very transparent; for example, you can look at a big spreadsheet and see exactly how much every player in the league earns.  Other things - particularly the "allocation money" system - are far more opaque.  Cynics think this is by design, so as to give Los Angeles and New York unfair advantages in the relatively level playing field that is MLS.  I personally don't agree.

[H. Pedersen]

It's not just that.  This transfer is seen as good for the national team, and for the 'rep' of US soccer; so I'd think NY would be under considerable pressure from the league to sell.

I doubt that's a factor . . . if he ends up backing up Knight and Wheater - a scenario I regard as plausible - then it's a negative for the national team.  He's better off playing every week in MLS.

[H. Pedersen]

I personally have no opinion on this deal, I have never heard of him and if he was playing for the US in the world cup I can't remember him at all.

He didn't go.  He had only played a handful of professional games at that point.  Though I fail to see how playing him could have been worse than going with the Cherundolo - Onyewu - DeMerit - Bocanegra back four, surely the slowest in World Cup history.

[azreal88]

if he ends up backing up Knight and Wheater

Don't depress me.

[Paul Comstive]

Stupid question on here I realise, but if he's not been a US regular for a good while, just how is he going to get a work permit??

[Manny]

He didn't go.  He had only played a handful of professional games at that point.  Though I fail to see how playing him could have been worse than going with the Cherundolo - Onyewu - DeMerit - Bocanegra back four, surely the slowest in World Cup history.

They didn't do any worse than the English team.

[wanderlust]

Ream's not really rated by the people I've spoken to - or at least valued at anything approaching 2.5 mill - so I hope this guy is a revelation if he is signed as it's money that could be spent elsewhere. There's interest in Mark Connolly from other clubs but I've not seen him recently - anyone know if he's anywhere near being able to step up as yet?

[azreal88]

I've heard mixed reviews of Ream.  The general picture seems to be "great on the ball, but dozy as hell".

I've watched a couple of games that a mate of mine sent me, both of which he looked solid in; but given that he's "famous" for gaffs, it may not be representative.

[Jamster26]

I have my doubts to be honest.

Is he any better than our current duo?