TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Report
Aaron Long is back in the transfer-gossip news, with Sky Sports News reporting on Sunday that English Premier League side Southampton “have been offered the chance to sign” the New York Red Bulls center back and US international in the upcoming January transfer window, and that French club Marseille are also interested in the 2018 MLS Defender of the Year.
It’s the latest in a recurring string of English interest in the athletic defender, who scored one of the USMNT’s four goals in Saturday’s 4-1 Concacaf Nations League rout of Canada in Orlando. Watch the goal here:
Long was reportedly the subject of multiple transfer bids from West Ham United over the summer, though as Sky’s new report notes, there were doubts at that point about his prospects of attaining a United Kingdom work visa at that time.
Now, the suggestion goes, Long’s consistent involvement in Gregg Berhalter’s national team program may have improved his standing for visa approval.
Sky also reported that Long has a US $6 million release clause in his contract; The Athletic reported last summer that one bid for Long approached $5 million, while Pro Soccer USA cited league sources alleging that the offers had not topped $3 million.
