DaMarcus Beasley is on the verge of completing a move to join Mexican Priméra División club Puebla on a two-year contract.
While Puebla's owner has already confirmed the deal, Beasley’s representative says the transaction is close, but not yet complete.
“[Beasley] has not signed as yet,” Lyle Yorks told MLSsoccer.com. “The deal is likely, but he is a Hannover player. There still needs to be an agreement in place between Hannover and Puebla.”
Yorks indicated it might take a few days for the clubs to make final arrangements and Puebla have said that they expect Beasley to officially join the team for preseason training on Monday.
Puebla’s president, Ricardo Henaine, confirmed that the agreement with the player was reached on Wednesday. His son, Roberto Henaine, was involved in the negotiations and earlier Wednesday tweeted news of the signing of the latest American player to join La Franja.
“The player has accepted to come to Puebla,” Ricardo Henaine told FutbolMLS.com on Wednesday. “Hopefully it will work out for us like it did with Herculez [Gomez], who was a top scorer with us in his first season. For us, to bring in an American player with [Beasley's] characteristics and together with the Mexican talent [at Puebla], I am sure he will become a star that no one is expecting.”
Gomez starred for Puebla, scoring 10 goals in the 2010 Clausura and the scoring exploits earned him a spot on the US' 2010 World Cup team.
Current Philadelphia Union forward Carlos Ruiz also enjoyed a successful stint with Puebla and Mexican defender Duilio Davino moved to the Mexican club after closing out his brief chapter with FC Dallas. Another ex-FCD player, Honduran midfielder Ramón Núñez, had a spell of his own with Puebla.
The 29-year-old Beasley was recently on trial with Pachuca, the current home of US national team midfielder José Francisco Torres. Los Tuzos are another Mexican club that have been on the prowl for American talent. However, the club passed on the possibility of signing the former Chicago Fire star.
After an impressive stay with PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands, Beasley’s lack of consistent playing time in Europe with Glasgow Rangers and most recently with Bundesliga side Hannover 96 cost him his place on the US national team. Although he was part of the 2010 World Cup team in South Africa, he played only 10 minutes as a sub against Algeria.
