As the soccer world approaches the opening of its winter transfer window, the trade chatter gets increasingly louder.
To kick things off, British midfielder Luke Rodgers, once a target for the New York Red Bulls, has left Notts County "by mutual consent," according to the club, perhaps freeing up a move stateside.
Peruvian international and former PSV striker Reimond Manco has claimed an MLS club has shown interest in him, and Uruguayan media report that Racing Club Montevido defender Rodrigo Braseco is set to move to D.C. United.
Meanwhile, news broke yesterday that Rapids star Omar Cummings may be loaned out to an EPL club. That team could very well be Aston Villa.
It seems no MLSer-to-Europe rumor is complete without mentioning Everton FC. However, it appears Toffees boss David Moyes is out of cash and looking for bargains only — which means he's in the loan market.
It's no rumor that Freddie Ljungberg is in Glagow training with Celtic. Apparently some players there already like what they see, claiming the Swede is in "very good shape, surprisingly good."
Ljungberg's countryman and former Sweden teammate Henrik Larsson also gives his blessing.
The Hot Stove also has Toronto man Dwayne de Rosario joining Ljungberg at Celtic Park for a trial. Though the MLS club denies this, one of De Ro's former Houston Dynamo teammates called the Canadian "a bit special."
Finally, the latest rumor mongers not only have David Beckham going out on loan with Blackburn Rovers, but also with injury-struck Chelsea and former club Real Madrid.
Speaking of Madrid, Los Merengues were certainly splashy with the cash during the Beckham "Galactico" era, and one news outlet discusses "What Beckham Has To Do With Spain's Boom And Bust."
The "Galacticos" of the 1970s, the New York Cosmos, have their international PR machine well-oiled. This Welsh media outlet is showing some interest in former "Welsh Star" Georgio Chenaglia, the one-time NASL Cosmos player and current Cosmos international ambassador.
As cold weather continues to break holiday fixtures throughout England, a labor dispute over kick-off times is threatening to end a slew of La Liga matches this weekend.
One American who will have to adjust to the British winters quickly is Robbie Findley. That could be the easy part, though, while the locker room banter might take some getting used to.
Findley's former RSL teammate Paulo Jr. will get to know his locker room a little better in the coming months. The youngster's loan deal with the Utah club has been extended through the 2011 season, with options.
Remember Sunil Chhetri, the Indian star who played in a handful of exhibitions for Kansas City? His move to MLS is among those moments that defined Indian soccer in 2010, according to ESPN over there. The Times of India, though, bemoans the country's lack of individual talent yet points to Chhetri's move here as one of the year's highlights.
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