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January 2019 Transfer Thread

It’s nearly upon us.

American international Tim Weah is headed from PSG to Celtic on loan.

http://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-t...weah-confirms-loan-from-psg-amid-celtic-links

And as much as I love that news, I'm not sure how much he's going to actually play ... and Weah needs to be PLAYING. They've been using Oddsone Edouard up front since Leigh Griffiths landed in rehab and play some version of a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 with only one in the box. There's a chance they use him on the wing, but even then he's got to compete with James Forrest, Scott Sinclair, Callum MacGregor and young Mikey Johnston (who has looked really good in his first season with the senior side) for time. Best guess, they'll blood Weah in on the sub's bench and he'll get 15-20 minutes until Griffiths is back. After that, who knows? Hopefully he grabs this opportunity and runs with it. He's got the physical tools to break into the rotation, but it won't be easy. Celtic are in a real dogfight for top of the Scottish table and that will take heavy priority over player development.
 
Might have been mentioned elsewhere, but a pair of US national team players will be moving to Europe in this window ... one on paper, one in the flesh.

Zack Steffen, recently named USMNT player of the year for 2018, has signed a time loaded agreement with Manchester City that will finalize in July of 2019. In the meantime he stays with the Crew and will be looking to gain a UK work permit. That's something City's expensive lawyers are working on, but look for him to get some more caps for the US during Camp Cupcake in January. The likelihood is high that Steffen will end up being loaned out after he joins City, with speculation running to Spain or the Netherlands. Either would be a step up from MLS, and thus good for his development.

Tyler Adams, formerly of NY Red Bulls, has signed with RB Leipzig of the Bundesliga, reuniting with his former coach Jesse Marsch who is on staff in Leipzig. The clubs are both part of the RasenBallsport franchise, so this is kind of an in house deal. Adams had emerged as one of the better young two-way midfielders in MLS over the last two seasons and is a product of NY Red Bulls Academy, having joined their age group teams at 12 years old. No speculation yet about RBZ loaning him out, so look for Adams to break in slowly for the rest of the European season (mostly in training, I'd think) before they figure out his place in the pecking order. RBZ has been a develop and move outfit, so while their midfield might look crowded now, that could change quickly. This is a big move for Adams and should be well planned out since RB has been his home since he was a child. IMO he's good enough to play European football, but still needs experience.
 
Wonder if Chelsea will try to time load any Hazard sale? If I was Pulisic, I'd want to go ahead and move now. Dortmund buried him on the sub's bench and now prefer Sandro. I mean that's fine, as Sandro is very good, but if you're Pulisic looking at an entire half a season sitting around doing next to nothing, you could be doing that in London just as well, and getting plugged into the training structure and team culture ahead of next season.
 
Jermain Defoe has completed a medical ahead of an 18 month loan to Rangers.

Bournemouth get striker Dominic Solanke for £19 million and Nathanial Clyne on loan from Liverpool.
 
Jermain Defoe has completed a medical ahead of an 18 month loan to Rangers.

Bournemouth get striker Dominic Solanke for £19 million and Nathanial Clyne on loan from Liverpool.

Defoe is three years older than Wayne Rooney. Just FYI.
 
And that's fine. Rangers aren't expecting him to carry the team or anything. They just need a spark off the bench, because they're not deep up front.
 
Cesc Fabregas joins former teammate Thierry Henry at Monaco on a 3-1/2 year deal. Monaco are 19th in Ligue 1, 4 points from safety and 18 points from a European spot.
 
Alvaro Morata loan move from Chelsea to Athletico Madrid is just about complete. Atleti has an option to buy in the summer. Chelsea will replace him with Gonzalo Higuain coming from AC Milan, where he’s been playing on loan from Juventus. The loan move will reportedly cost £9 million and Chelsea have an option to buy for an additional £35 million in the summer.


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Higuain is always a wild card, but I get the feeling that Morata is absolutely going to tear it up at Atletico Madrid.
 
Following up on loan move news above, US winger/forward Tim Weah scored off the bench in his Celtic debut in the Scottish Cup this weekend. For now he looks to be spelling Scott Sinclair and James Forrest on the wings, but should play regularly either way. That's MUCH better than sitting in the team lounge in his track suit for PSG.

His first comment upon taking the pitch in Glasgow for training last week ... "Dear God, it's cold." Welcome to Scotland, son.
 
That is such sad and weird news. The ocean off of Guernsey is notoriously rough pretty much year round so I don't think anybody holds out a lot of hope for the rescue operation. And a Piper Malibu? That's an egg beater of a plane. My old company used to share ownership of one and we used it for short hops between NC and SC rural airfields. What he was doing flying over the ocean in such a light aircraft, I have no idea.
 
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