Portland Timbers midfielder Michael Nanchoff is headed across the Atlantic to join Swedish club Jönköpings Södra IF on loan until November, the MLS side announced Tuesday.
“There is only one loan term, but we will see where it leads in the future,” Jönköpings manager Mats Gren is quoted as saying with regards to Nanchoff, who has played just eight minutes of league action for the Timbers this season.
The deal was originally reported by Jnytt, a Swedish publication.
A highly touted talent from Akron, where he played under Timbers coach Caleb Porter and earned a spot in the 2011 Generation adidas class, Nanchoff has played a central role in Portland's US Open Cup run, including a memorable goal to open the scoring against Tampa Bay in a 2-0 Portland win.
READ: US Open Cup: Nanchoff whacks Tampa Bay Rowdies, Caleb Porter in Portland's win
Based in southern Sweden, Jönköpings are struggling in the lower half of the table in the Superettan, the nation's second division, and are apparently seeking reinforcements to avoid being sucked into a relegation scrap.
Jnytt
also mentions University of Virginia center back
Zach Carroll
as another potential acquisition, a claim backed up by the player himself,
on Monday that he was headed to Sweden for trials with Jönköpings and IFK Göteborg.
A Michigan native and former member of U.S. Soccer's Bradenton Residency program, Carroll played for the US in the U-17 World Cup and scored four goals in 16 starts for the Cavaliers last NCAA season.
