Perkins Details and Freddy Alert
[UPDATED WITH PERKINS COMMENTS]
From what I have been able to piece together.....
The transfer fee paid by Valerenga to D.C. United/MLS for goalkeeper Troy Perkins was, indeed, close to $750,000 and that Perkins will more than double his salary (which should put him in the range of $200,000 per year). United will collect two-thirds of the fee and use a portion of it to acquire players (it's complicated, don't ask).
Valerenga, currently in the offseason, began pursuing a No. 1 goalkeeper several weeks ago and, when the club was unable to acquire another player from the Norwegian league, turned their attention to Perkins. Valerenga requested permission to bring in Perkins on trial. United declined. So the club made a direct offer. After a bit of negotiating, the deal was struck.
Troy flew back to the States today. I reached him as he was waiting to board his connection in Newark after arriving from Oslo.
He said that, after the season ended, his agent, Patrick McCabe, indicated that there might be European clubs in search of a goalkeeper. So they sent out highlight tapes and waited. Troy and his wife were hiking on the Appalachian Trail when they returned to Washington and received a message from McCabe: Valerenga was interested. "From there, things happened very quickly," he said. "Within a week, they were working on a deal."
Perkins said he was at first a little apprehensive about going to Norway "because it's a new world, a new life, but I think it's going to be great for us."
Reflecting on four years with United, he said: "Nothing but good things. It's such a big thing to give up and it's very hard to leave D.C. It's been a special place for me -- it's my first club and I have so many friends there -- but I've always dreamed of starting something in Europe."
He said he will fly back to Norway on Dec. 31 and begin training Jan. 3.
DCU officials did not want to comment until the final minor details of the deal were settled.
Speaking of former United players, Freddy Adu is scheduled to return to Washington from Lisbon today to begin his short holiday break from Benfica. First item on his schedule: Attend the Wizards-Hawks game with some of his buddies tonight at Verizon Center. If you're going, keep an eye out for the limo.
By Steve Goff |
December 21, 2007; 2:20 PM ET
D.C. United
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Posted by: Kim | December 21, 2007 2:42 PM
Good for Perkins. But now that he's a big star, I wonder how many of his mortgage-company-ex-co-workers will start hitting him up for money :)
Posted by: Bart | December 21, 2007 2:48 PM
Worse news for MLS is that Guillermo Barros Schelotto is heading back to Gimnasia in Argentina after agreeing to terms with the club. Too bad for Columbus which had perhaps the best-skilled, non-DP player last season.
Posted by: bristol | December 21, 2007 3:04 PM
bristol-
Source? I think we had someone from Columbus say that they had picked up the 2008 option on Schelletto so there should at the least be some compensation to the Crew and it could be a complete fabrication.
Posted by: bluemeanies | December 21, 2007 3:21 PM
Goff,
Are you going to try and catch up with Freddy, and write a piece on his experience with Benfica up to this point? I think it would make great reading material.
Posted by: DC United Fan | December 21, 2007 3:33 PM
The Post will prepare a Freddy story at some point in the coming weeks.
Posted by: Goff | December 21, 2007 3:37 PM
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Freddy Adu is scheduled to return to Washington from Lisbon today to begin his short holiday break from Benfica. First item on his schedule: Attend the Wizards-Hawks game with some of his buddies tonight at Verizon Center.
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I'm sure your readers are dying to know if any former or current DC United players are in this group of Adu "buddies" that will be at the Verizon Center.
But Adu never had any true "peers" as teammates in his time with United, so I wouldn't be surprised if these were some of his neighborhood/club soccer buddies from back in the day.
Or are Adu's buddies now all of the Michael Johnson and Nike-mentor types?
Posted by: Benfica Holiday | December 21, 2007 3:50 PM
Re Schelletto, http://www.goal.com/en-us/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=5224
reports that he is homesick and has a verbal agreement with the club president to return...but there is this little item of a contract with Columbus that lasts until June of 2008.
So looks like it could be one of those semi-made-up stories that some like to write.
Posted by: seahawkdad | December 21, 2007 3:53 PM
Here's hoping things go well for Perkins and Norway and he won't have to fall back on his mortgage industry knowledge.
Posted by: Good luck Troy | December 21, 2007 3:54 PM
Freddy's buddies I referred to are his neighborhood/club/school friends.
Posted by: Goff | December 21, 2007 3:57 PM
Good luck in Norway, Troy. Things are very expensive and cold there. Remember that the balls are even slipperier than they were in Guadalajara on 3rd April 2007 so try not to let in any more doozies like you did that night.
Posted by: bristol | December 21, 2007 4:13 PM
MLS looks more stupid by the day...too many good young players leaving while we sign the Reyna's & Mathis' of the world. Oh we are little league no doubt about it.
Posted by: tex | December 21, 2007 4:27 PM
Tex: Hey, that $250,000 MLS pocketed on the Perkins deal can pay for another season of David Beckham's Soccer America! It's major!
Posted by: Kuz | December 21, 2007 4:40 PM
Freddy Cam for tonight's game, perhaps?
Posted by: Glaucon | December 21, 2007 4:45 PM
from Norwegian site:
DC United (utviklingslag)
What's that mean? Somehow, I think I should be offended.
""Major League Soccer-klubben DC United""
Posted by: delantero | December 21, 2007 5:00 PM
$200 G's a year PLUS he gets to play in this sweet stadium!!!
Good luck, Troy!
Posted by: delatnero | December 21, 2007 5:03 PM
Posted by: delantero | December 21, 2007 05:00 PM
my limited knowledge of Norwegian tells me you shouldn't be offented. :)
Posted by: papa bear | December 21, 2007 5:52 PM
Bristol, Perkins was a big upgrade over Rimando, and Nolly wasn't exactly a viable sub either (hence our trade for Wells) so ease up on the few mistakes Troy made. He kept United in MANY games they didn't deserve to have a chance in.
Tex, It's called smart business. Troy cost the league virtually nothing in his 4 years in MLS (probably less than $200k total) so the league made back it's investment, and then some, as did United. Hopefully we can use that money to bring in another Emilio or Fred... preferably both (although a winger instead of a CAM like Fred)
As for Reyna, that was a dumb move by Arena, not MLS. He had no business on the pitch in Germany in 06' and even less in the Swamp in 07' but I enjoy laughing at the ineptitude of TKFM.
Mathis is one of the better American Players we've ever produced... when he wants to be. I'm sure he'll put out zero effort for Lalas in LA though. Do you have any idea how many doughnut shops there are there?
Posted by: AlecW81 | December 21, 2007 11:18 PM
Now Troy can see the Majestic Moose...
Posted by: Moteus | December 22, 2007 3:02 AM
I speak norwegian. udviklingslag means development team. I didn't see the article, so i dont know if they were referring to DC United (and MLS) as a development league, or if they just meant that Troy (yes that one) developed there. Didn't he spend some time on the reserves early on?
Posted by: Troy (no not that one) | December 22, 2007 7:59 AM
Mr. Goff-where does valerenga figure in the league in norway-are they any good? valer Valerenga Valerenga Valerenga
Posted by: question for goff | December 22, 2007 12:10 PM
A moose once bit my sister.....
Posted by: Kim | December 23, 2007 11:16 AM
Valerenga are around the high end of mid-table this season. They're considered one of the better teams in Norway (finishing 4th last year) and they've qualified for the UEFA Cup a few times. John Carew (Aston Villa) played for them not long ago. They're no Rosenberg (big team in Norway), but lets say they're an (EPL comparison alert) Everton / Aston Villa / Newcastle sized club.
Good luck, Perky!
Posted by: Richard | December 23, 2007 3:54 PM
Freddy spotted:
http://theoffsiderules.blogspot.com/2007/12/lock-up-your-daughters-freddy-is-back.html
Posted by: DirtDigital | December 24, 2007 10:50 PM
The fun thing for Troy Perkins is that he arrives a club who really have high ambition. They probably have on paper the best midfield in Norway (most of them are regulars on the national team). And they have a clear goal to reach Champions League (biggest european cup). Although Norwegian soccer aint in top European Class it will be a great opportunity to gain experience. In addition the distance to bigger european clubs are smaller.
Posted by: Frekk | January 3, 2008 9:51 AM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Doesn't a 'Freddy Watch' fall more into the mission statement of the SportsBog?