Soccer By Ives

Gonzalez loaned to Nurnberg

photo by Andrew Katsampes/ISIphotos.com

Omar Gonzalez withdrew from the U.S. men's national team camp on Wednesday to pursue an offseason loan, and we now know his destination.

Gonzalez has been loaned from the Los Angeles Galaxy to FC Nurnberg until at least the middle of February, the German club announced on its website on Thursday. Nurnberg chairman Martin Bader said the club had hoped to make a move for Gonzalez in the summer, but that the opportunity to acquire the centerback came up earlier than expected.

Gonzalez trained with Nurnberg's first team at a training camp in Turkey on Thursday morning, as the club continues its preparations for the second half of the Bundesliga season.

Joining U.S. international Timmy Chandler on a team that is just above the relegation zone, Gonzalez could make his debut for Nurnberg on Jan. 21 when it takes on Hertha Berlin.

What do you think of Gonzalez being loaned to Nurnberg? Think he should have stayed at the U.S. national team camp? Hoping the loan becomes a permanent move?

Share your thoughts below.

Gonzalez & John skip USMNT camp ahead of potential winter moves

After the lengthy wait to have their chance to impress U.S. men's national team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, it appears George John and Omar Gonzalez will have to wait a bit longer.

Both John and Gonzalez are skipping national team camp in Arizona to attend to potential winter moves. John has left the country to pursue a potential transfer while Gonzalez is mulling over loan opportunities.

Seattle Sounders defender Jeff Parke and midfielder Brad Evans were called in to replace the two centerbacks in the camp.

John is entering the final year of his MLS contract, making a winter transfer move very likely. A Gonzalez loan deal is a bit more surprising, though he has been linked to interest from Mexico and various clubs in Europe in the past.

MLS Notes: Bliss joins U.S. U-20 staff, Portland's first Homegrown deal & more

Columbus Crew technical director Brian Bliss can add U.S. Under-20 national team assistant coach to his resume after becoming the first assistant appointed to Tab Ramos' staff on Wednesday.

Bliss will maintain his duties with the Crew while assuming the added international responsibilities. He is currently with Ramos to help lead the U-20 camp that is taking place in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and he will also be present at the MLS Combine, which happens to take place in the same city and begins on Friday.

Bliss, a former U.S. international, was an assistant coach for the Kansas City Wizards from 2000-2006 before taking over the head coaching duties on an interim basis for a brief period. More recently, he has had a big hand with the Crew's U-20 program and youth teams.

Here are a couple of more items from around MLS:

Howard scores in Everton's loss to Bolton

It's not all that surprising that an American scored at Goodison Park on Wednesday. After all, Everton's match against Bolton marked Landon Donovan's return to the Toffees. Thing is, Donovan wasn't the one to find the back of the net.

In open play, goalkeeper Tim Howard unleashed a long kick from his own box that took a perfect bounce from about 25 yards out and got carried by a furious wind over Bolton goalkeeper Adam Bogdan into the goal. The tally broke a scoreless draw in the 63rd minute of Everton's 2-1 loss to Bolton.

Howard, who made his 250th Premier League appearance and had come up with a number of clutch saves to that point, was beaten by David Ngog four minutes later and again by Gary Cahill in the 78th minute, with those goals accounting for the final score. Leighton Baines nearly tied the score in stoppage time, but his free kick caromed off the crossbar. With his goal, Howard became the second American goalkeeper to score in the Premier League and the first since Brad Friedel accomplished the feat in 2004.

Donovan, meanwhile, had an active debut -- especially in the first half -- nearly drawing a penalty toward the end of the first 45 minutes. He played all 90 minutes in the first match of his second loan stint in the Premier League.

Video of Howard's goal is after the jump:

Soccer Wednesday: Your Running Commentary

Photo by ISIphotos.com

Landon Donovan's return to Everton is the story of the day in American soccer, and he'll look to make an immediate impact when the Toffees host Bolton at Goodison Park. Donovan has secured a place in the starting lineup, as has goalkeeping stalwart Tim Howard, who is making his 250th Premier League appearance.

The other Premier League match of the day contains major table implications as well, as Manchester United aims to keep pace with Manchester City. In order to do so, the Red Devils will have to top a hungry Newcastle side that is seeing its one-time grasp on a place in the top tier of the league table slipping away.

Elsewhere in the world, a Messi-less Barcelona will look to take a step toward the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey with its Round of 16 first-leg match against Osasuna.

Here is the viewing schedule for the day's matches:

3 p.m. - Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer.tv - Everton vs. Bolton

3 p.m. - Fox Soccer Channel - Newcastle vs. Manchester United

4 p.m. - ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes - Barcelona vs. Osasuna

If you will be watching any of Wednesday's games, please feel free to share any thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below. Enjoy the action.

Columbus signs Chilean Mirosevic

After losing a lot of their offensive firepower by parting ways with leading scorer and Designated Player Andres Mendoza, the Columbus Crew took a step in finding an attacking solution by signing Chilean midfielder Milovan Mirosevic on Wednesday.

Columbus had success with a Chilean signing a year ago, finding a stable right back in Sebastian Miranda. The hope for the Crew is that Mirosevic turns out as well. The 31-year-old attacking midfielder scored 46 goals over the last three seasons for Universidad Catolica. He's been capped 25 times for the Chilean national team, including during recent World Cup qualifiers, and he should combine with Eddie Gaven and the up-and-coming Dilly Duka to provide a spark in the middle of the park for Columbus.

The Crew might not be done in the international market, either. According to reports out of Costa Rica, Columbus is set to sign Saprissa forward Olman Vargas, who was on loan at Herediano last season.

What do you think of the moves? What else do you think Columbus needs to do to be considered a competitor in the Eastern Conference?

Share your thoughts below.

How do you see Donovan faring with Everton this time around?

Photo by ISIphotos.com

Landon Donovan's second foray into the Premier League gets underway later today, with Everton's match against Bolton (3 p.m., Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer.tv). Early rumblings have Donovan slated for the starting lineup, though that has yet to be announced publicly by Everton.

Wednesday's game is the first of nine matches in which Donovan will be eligible to play under the terms of his two-month loan to the Toffees, where his return has generated quite a buzz. Donovan scored two goals and helped spark Everton while becoming a popular figure at Goodison Park his last time on loan, and he'll look to light a fire under an Everton attack that has struggled to just 19 goals in 18 games -- tied for second worst in the league.

In addition to Bolton, Donovan will get the chance to play against Tottenham, Aston Villa, Blackburn, Manchester City, Wigan Athletic, Chelsea and Liverpool in league play along with Tamworth in the FA Cup. 

How do you see Donovan doing during this loan stint? Cast your vote after the jump:

Generation adidas update: Martinez signed, three offered deals

And then there were six.

North Carolina playmaker Enzo Martinez signed has signed a Generation adidas contract, becoming the sixth member of the 2012 Generation adidas class, but teammate Billy Schuler passed on the final MLS offer, and ultimately signed with Hammarby.

Schuler's decision to bolt for Europe has opened the door for MLS to expand the class, with the league extending Generation adidas offers to Creighton fullback Tyler Polak, South Florida striker Dom Dwyer and UConn centerback Andrew Jean-Baptiste. The offers are considerably lower than the type of GA contracts MLS has handed out in recent years, which, coupled with the fact the players have a day to accept or reject the offers, could lead to all three players passing.

Report: Schuler bound for Hammarby

Photo by Chris Putman/ISIphotos.com

Another young American attacking talent appears to be taking his game overseas.

According to a report out of Sweden, University of North Carolina forward Billy Schuler will sign with second-division club Hammarby -- the team coached by former U.S. international Gregg Berhalter -- pending a physical. Schuler joins Virginia's Brian Span as NCAA players who have bolted for professional deals overseas. Span signed with another Swedish club, top-flight outfit Djurgardens.

Schuler, who was included on the initial combine roster released by MLS, was offered a Generation adidas deal by MLS but turned that down to pursue European options instead. Had he signed with the league, he would have been one of the first names to come off the board in next week's SuperDraft. He helped lead UNC to the NCAA championship, scoring 16 goals as a redshirt junior this past season for the Tar Heels.

In addition to playing for Berhalter, Schuler will team with former University of Illinois-Chicago and Chicago Fire midfielder Baggio Husidic, who signed with Hammarby a couple of weeks ago.

Reports: Aarhus looking at Wondolowski, Davies as potential transfer targets

Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com

Two American strikers are drumming up some transfer buzz in Denmark.

According to multiple reports out of the country, Danish Superliga club AGF Aarhus is looking at Charlie Davies and Chris Wondolowski as potential targets during the transfer window, which opens Thursday and lasts through the end of the month. The club has been in need of reinforcements at striker after Peter Graulund suffered a ruptured Achilles' tendon back in October.

Davies recently returned to FC Sochaux in France to train with the club that currently owns his rights. He had been on loan with D.C. United, but the club passed on its option to purchase his full rights. 

Wondolowski, who has scored the most goals in MLS over the last two years, is currently in camp with the U.S. national team in Phoenix. He signed a new contract with the San Jose Earthquakes last February, though, and has hardy had his name touted on the European rumor mill despite his emergence.

Aarhus, which is on its winter break until March, is no stranger to Americans, with both Benny Feilhaber and Jeremiah White suiting up for the club within the last three years.

What do you think of this development? Could you see either player winding up at Aarhus? Do you think it would be a good move for either Davies or Wondolowski?

Share your thoughts below.