AMSTERDAM – A trio of American exports made news in Europe on Tuesday, with Sarpsborg 08 starting netminder Quentin Westberg making a surprise move to Ligue 2 battlers Tours.
The 29-year-old former US Under-20 backstop, who was born and raised in the suburbs of Paris, returns to France on a two-year deal with the Loire Valley side. Westberg was 0-3-1 in four league games with struggling Sarpsborg, but starred in their NM Cupen round-of-16 penalty kicks defeat of Brann.
Last season, Tours finished strong to end up four points above the trap door in 15th place. They will open the new season with an Aug. 3 trip to Nancy.
Elsewhere in France, Lille's US U-20 striker Maki Tall has jumped ship to join Swiss top-flight outfit FC Sion.
The 19-year-old Washington, D.C. native, who bagged a goal in the United States' group phase-opening win at this summer's U-20 World Cup, announced the transfer on his Twitter account. Swiss daily Le Matin reports that he inked a three-year pact. Tall spent the back half of last season on loan to third division club Red Star 93, where he made three appearances, including a January Coupe de France debut.
Swiss Cup holders Sion are looking to make up for last season's seventh-place finish. The two-time Super League champs opened the new season with a draw at Luzern this past weekend.
FInally, unsettled Bayern Munich attacker Julian Green made his preseason debut in their 1-0 friendly win over Inter Milan in China.
The US international entered a scoreless match in the 73rd minute and managed only a sparse few touches. Green did play a small, complimentary part in Mario Götze's late winner by stretching the defense with a wide run down the left flank.
