Red Bull," Angel said in a conference call from Villa's training facility in Birmingham, England. "And also, I think that Major League Soccer is making all the effort they can just to make this league a very good league all over the world. So for me, I am very glad to be part of this project and to help in a way, just to do something for the league."
Angel, who has four goals in 18 caps for the Colombian national team, scored 62 goals in 205 games for Aston Villa. But recently he fell out of favor with manager Martin O'Neill and began to entertain thoughts of coming to America as he played for the Villa reserves.
"I want to play on a regular basis," said Angel, who will wear No. 9 with the Red Bulls. "I want to be involved week in and week out. When I wasn't playing here, it started wondering in my mind that I wanted to go some place to place regular football."
He'll certainly have that opportunity in New York. Angel joined Villa for a club record $14 million transfer from River Plate after scoring 45 goals in four seasons for the Argentinean powerhouse. Angel started his professional career playing for hometown Nacional Medellin.
The Red Bulls will need to make room for Angel on their 18-man senior roster, although the Colombian won't likely join the team straight away. The club figures it to be a matter of weeks rather than days as Angel looks to obtain a working visa.
"We wanted him here yesterday," Agoos said. "We obviously want it to be as quick as possible, but with the government red tape and issues with the league will slow that process down obviously. So at the soonest point we can bring him here we will."
And once he does arrive, Arena doesn't expect him to start scoring goals right off the plane. There's going to be a period of adjustment, although Angel has already done his homework about the league and the Red Bulls.
"Claudio Reyna, obviously I played against him many times in the Premier League and his quality speaks for itself," Angel said. "[Dave] van den Bergh, the Dutch player, the Dutch goalkeeper [Ronald Waterreus] as well and this youngster, the striker everyone is talking about him right now, he's going to be a very important player, not just for the Red Bulls, but also for the national team, Altidore. I know quite a bit of the team and hopefully over the next couple of weeks, I will get to know much more."
Angel last played at Giants Stadium two years ago against Beckham and the English national team in a friendly before the Red Bulls faced FC Dallas.
"It was a great opportunity because when Giants Stadium is full, it is a fantastic place to be," Angel said. "The atmosphere that day was brilliant."
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
