Adu, Szetela Moves Underscore Growing Trend

• New York Sun, Tuesday, August 7, 2007 4 PM

Freddy Adu's "bittersweet" experience in MLS is now over, says the New York Sun's Paul Gardner. The young man must now find his feet in Europe, which is what he always wanted and MLS knew was always going to happen. But does Adu's move portend a greater exodus of the league's top talent for greener pastures elsewhere? Absolutely, says Gardner.

There is both more money and opportunity abroad. Some might say the main reason Adu stayed in MLS so long was a FIFA regulation banning the international transfer of players under 18. Others would say Adu never impressed enough to merit a transfer abroad until now anyways. Regardless, Gardner says the American soccer league -- like many of its more established cousins in South America -- is staring at a trend otherwise known as the international trade in soccer starlets. Adu and Sal Zizzo, who moved to Hannover in Germany, are just two examples.

The point is further driven home by the news that Danny Szetela of the Columbus Crew has become the third American from the U.S. U-20 squad to plan to move abroad since the World Cup in Canada. Szetela will finish this season with the Crew before moving on to AS Roma of Serie A in a free transfer, according to the North Jersey Herald News. Terms of that deal weren't disclosed. But until MLS can start paying competitive salaries, Gardner says it will be producing talent to send to Europe.

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