Rather than perhaps play his first game for German-born U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann, defender Omar Gonzalez will test himself in German soccer.
Gonzalezleft the U.S. training camp in Arizona and headed to Turkey, where Nuremberg is training during the German Bundesliga’s winter break. He will stay with the club on loan until the end of February.
“We are delighted that Omar joined us in training camp,” Nuremberg chairman Martin Bader said. “We were considering having him join us in summer 2012 but we have got theopportunity to loan him at least until the start of the MLS season in mid-February.”
The 6-foot-5 defender has two caps for the U.S. national team, but could still choose to representMexico internationally given his Mexican heritage. Gonzalez joins Nuremberg defender Timothy Chandler, who debuted for the U.S. last year against Argentina during the tenure ofKlinsmann’s predecessor Bob Bradley and played eight matches. Bradley also gave Gonzalez his first cap in August, 2010, against Brazil.
Gonzalez will help shore up abackline which will lose Phillipp Wollscheid to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer. Nuremberg is 15th, the lowest slot above the relegation places, in the 18-team league. Bader said.”Omar is an interesting candidate, a young talented player who could be a good fit for 1. FC Nurnberg.”