Could US national team winger Brek Shea be on his way back to MLS in January?
Orlando Sentinel soccer reporter Paul Tenorio cites "multiple sources with direct knowledge of the move," that "Orlando City is finalizing a move to sign the US winger from Stoke City."
The report claims that the transfer could materialize in the coming days. As a returning US national team player, Shea would be subject to the allocation order, where NYCFC ranks first and Orlando City second.
No official word from Orlando City just yet in reaction to the report.
The 25-year-old Shea left his hometown club FC Dallas after five seasons, transferring to English Premier League side Stoke City for a reported $4 million in January 2013.
However, Shea has struggled to break through with the Potters and has instead been loaned out to English second-division sides Barnsley -- a move that ended controversially -- and most recently Birmingham City, where his loan spell came to an end with Saturday's match vs. Reading.
The rumors of a potential move to Orlando began in the summer, when Shea stopped by for a training stint in June. They were only fueled by his connections to Orlando City GM Paul McDonough, who represented Shea, and Orlando president Phil Rawlins, a former member of the Stoke board.
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