AMSTERDAM – Bundesliga promotion-chasers Kaisersluatern have turned down a chance to acquire 1860 Munich outcast Bobby Wood due to sticker shock on the asking price.
Multiple sources in Germany have confirmed to MLSsoccer.com the accuracy of a Tuesday Kicker report stating the fifth-place Red Devils balked at the €500,000 price tag on the young US winger. Under contract until the end of next season, Wood has not appeared for 1860 since falling out with manager Markus von Ahlen in late October.
In their subsequent report, the German paper claimed that Wood also recently rejected a move to 2.Bundesliga bottom-feeders Erzgebirge Aue and that cash-strapped Belgian side Lierse had backed off their interest in a manner similar to Kaiserslautern.
The sources indicated to MLSsoccer.com that 1860 will likely either lower their transfer-fee demands or look for loan-with-purchase options if the January window continues without a taker. Local buzz says an unnamed MLS team will quickly step up if the Allianz Arena outfit does start taking loan bids, but this has yet to be confirmed. Wood made four appearances for the US national team in 2014.
Wood, who started in the Lions' academy when he was just 15, is in his fourth season with the senior side. The 22-year-old notched two assists while starting the first four games of the current league campaign but has worked just 17 minutes since then.
The Hawaii native was dropped from the first team after an argument with Von Ahlen shortly after the club's 10th game of the season. Initially, 1860 told MLSsoccer.com that German reports suggesting Wood had been quickly put on the market were inaccurate.
"Now [Wood] is in the second team," a club spokesperson told MLSsoccer.com shortly after the October demotion. "But the door is open, [Von Ahlen] won't let him go."
However, after Wood refused assignment to 1860 II, the club started looking for a buyer. The Lions have gone 2-5-2 since the youngster was suspended by the manager to slip to 15th place, with only a superior goal differential separating them from the relegation zone.
