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Alejandro Bedoya won't have to wait until next winter to finalize his move to Scottish champions Glasgow Rangers after all.
The U.S. national team midfielder will be joining Rangers immediately after the club reached an agreement with Swedish club Orebro on a transfer for Bedoya. Rangers and Bedoya had already agreed on a pre-contract that would have had Bedoya join Rangers in January, a move that surely put more pressure on Orebro to deal Bedoya sooner to secure something for his services.
Rangers announced the deal on Wednesday, which means Bedoya will now join U.S. teammate Maurice Edu on the Rangers roster, though there have been rumors that Edu could be on the move as well.
What do you think of this development? Glad to see Bedoya join a club like Rangers, or were you hoping he moved to a different league?
Share your thoughts below.
What are the rumors about Edu?
Anyone have any clue as to where Fontana, California’s pride and joy Mo Edu is rumored to be headed?
This is a god move for Bedoya; he should get more exposure at Rangers.
There was a French Club that was interested in Edu.
If Lady Gaga wrote a song about this guy — it only bodes well.
A speed player in the SPL. They should have him crippled up good by November
St. Ettiene crushed some rumors about Bocanegra making a move to Rangers.
Did Bedoya play in Orebro’s Europa League qualifying matches ? If he did I assume he is cup tied and unable to play for Rangers in Europe ?
AJ Auxerre. Similar situation to Jozy, Auxerre would potentially pick up Edu if one of their midfielders leaves, and that appears to be the case. I’d say it’s likely Edu moves
somewhat related question… how tall is bedoya? he looks so short next to the two guys he’s standing in between. who is #21 is Goodsen then it makes sense since he’s close to 6’3″
A step up for Bedoya. So that’s good news. Although, I’m not convinced that the SPL is a good league for development of American players. Rather see him play in France or Netherlands, or, if he’s good enough, of course the EPL or Germany.
You are so right. The SPL just cripples skill players. I hope he can have a great season with Rangers and stay healthy and get the hell out of that hack league.
In other news, Eddie Johnson is an idiot.
SPL is a hugely overrated league, but Bedoya will benefit from the increased exposure. Could be a good stepping stone to the EPL.
Edu move was initially dependent on Delvin Ndinga going to Lyonnais. Supposedly stalled or not happening but the mercato closes at Midnight Aug 31, 2011 so who knows.
I’m hoping he goes to Auxerre, the opportunities he’ll get in Ligue are much better than they ever will be for him in the SPL.
Because Orebro was eliminated, he is no longer cup tied.
I hope Bedoya has good health insurance, because he will be spending lots of time in the treatment room.
Mexican Primera’s a better league than Scottland. Who’s with me?! Hope Herc gets a call for the Costa Rica game. He’s looking great in the lone striker role for Estudiantes Tecos.
For warm up drills, SPL teams go out into the alley and kick a cripple to death. Once they have blood ontheir shoes they’re ready to play
I think it’s difficult to disagree with this statement, but a team like Rangers has MUCH more exposure than any Mexican team, especially in European competitions.
5’10″ according to his wikipedia page…
I really think this is a bad move for him. Too much risk of getting hurt. He would have been better off waiting in Sweden for a team from another league.
The talent level in the SPL outside of Rangers/Celtic is on par with non-playoff MLS clubs.
Whoa. I thought Rangers were trying to distance themselves from religious issues after their fans were criticized for sectarian chants???
word. hope he gets health care and a walker with the deal…
I’ll admit don’t know a lot about SPL other than the fact that it’s perennially a two horse race between Rangers and someone else and that it’s a physical league. other tan the fact that the locals speak english I don’t see why it’s such a destination league for americans abroad.
+1
Took me a minutes, but this was hilarious. Well played, sir.
Nail on the head. Not the worst move he could make, but not the best.
That’s news?
I don’t think it’s overrated at all. I think most people recognize that it’s not very good.
While I don’t think this was the best move for Bedoya, since the SPL is crap outside of Glasgow, I get tired of all this “he’s gonna get hurt” nonsense. Yes, the SPL is very physical, but it’s not as if every single player that plays there is in any more danger than in any other league. Beasley had a rougher time because he’s a slight guy, but I think Bedoya would be fine.
TL;DR – SPL related injury fears are overblown.
I agree – he’s no glass tiger, or “Glass Joe”, as far as I can tell.
Good luck to him b/c Rangers is a step up from the Swedish league.
Herc for the Costa Rica game should be a lock.. its been some time since we have seen him and he has been playing well!
I think what he meant to say that even the old powerhouse teams like Celtic and Rangers are hugely overrated.
They’ve been on a steady decline over the last 10 years and can’t really compete in their European competitions anymore.
They have big financial debts and even had to freeze bringing in new transfers for a long period of time.
Not overly thrilled with this move
“I’ll admit don’t know a lot about SPL other than the fact that it’s perennially a two horse race between Rangers and someone else and that it’s a physical league.”
I’d hold off on commenting about this further until you’ve figured out who the “someone else” is.
Go ahead.
We’ll wait.
Bad move. It is a step up, but not the right one. League is relatively weak and full of choppers. Bad combo. Should’ve looked for a move to Dutch league. There he could actually learn a lot and get ample playing time to implement.
Well he did admit he doesn’t know much about it.
This kid has the potential to make a big impact at Rangers and eventually play for one of the best teams in the world. Good luck Alejandro, we’re all rooting for you
He did not play in the tie for Orebro
It’s easy to say he should go to this league or that league but 1) he has to have an offer and 2) the guy has to make a living.
Here’s hoping he does well and gets noticed by a team to the south.
I hoped that Bedoya would move to a different league that is more technical than SPL, but I guess that technically it is an upgrade over Sweedish league since SPL is ranked a few places higher in UEFA ratings and Rangers is a bigger name than Orebro.
Thought Silver was just using the Swedish form, myself, given the context…
He should’ve gone to Barcelona or Manchester United
Pretty much have to echo what others have said. Scotland isn’t the best league for a technical player. Though Claudio did all right for himself at Rangers. Still, thinking about what Scotland did to DMB’s career…
MC Pharaoh meant to say “still” an idiot
He AND Edu should move to the ABS (Anywhere But Scotland) league. I think Bedoya is an absolute injury waiting to happen every minute he’s on the pitch in Scotland. And Rangers isn’t even in the Champs League this year.
He didn’t because he’s too good for both of them
Sorry, robert daniels, you fail today’s sarcasm test!
Aiden Mcgeady, perhaps the greatest skillplayer plying his trade in Russia right now (pre-Eto’o), played for Celtic for years.
I do see your point of course, the SPL is VERY physical. But it’s a good league.
SPL is better than Sweden, though.
Celtic and Rangers are good teams for Americans to land at. Not only because it’s an opportunity to have increased exposure (on TV all the time, worldwide fan-bases), but because you always compete in Europe (either CL or EL, every year), and it is a league with a sense of urgency and competitiveness. If you play for Rangers or Celtic, you are expected to WIN. And in Old Firm games, you learn exactly what pressure looks like.
And BTW: I can agree that the Mexican league, as a whole, is probably better than the SPL. But the top 2-4 teams in SPL are better than than the top 2-4 in Mexico.
“While I don’t think this was the best move for Bedoya, since the SPL is crap outside of Glasgow”
Outside of Glasgow, the SPL is still stronger than the Swedish league.
But I agree, the injury fears are overblown.
Rangers WAS in the Champion’s League–they just dropped out early thanks to a loss to Odense.
Rangers and Celtic are very good. Having the ability to play in the SPL for one of those teams means you are also expected to compete in Europe and their line-ups are star studded–full of internationals. Celtic or Rangers doesn’t really play anyone who isn’t a full international. Yes, some of your development is about who you play against, but some of it is who you play with, too.
better get some extra shin pads to wear on top of his shin pads
I think Herculez definitely needs a call up, but if Bedoya can perform (and survive) in the SPL, he’ll get more attention from higher tier European leagues.
The fact is, ignoring the overblown injury fear hype, he has basically a 50% chance of playing UCL soccer and 100% chance of playing Europa League ball this coming year.
Let’s hope so. That will vastly improve his technical ability which is somewhat lost in Scotland.
Add Bocanegra to the Rangers list…
They have nothing on Brian Mullan
I think what Alex meant to say was the Old Firm is not overrated because no one rates them very highly anymore; at least no one in Europe.
Since ONeill left Celtic have been toothless and Rangers might have a hard time in the Championship. Those two are still “big” clubs in terms of their support and tradition but they aren’t good clubs in terms of their ability on the field.
Bedoya, at least , potentially has more exposure if he does well.
What makes you think the SPL is any harder on a player than MLS
” really think this is a bad move for him. Too much risk of getting hurt. He would have been better off waiting in Sweden for a team from another league.”
Then again Bedoya is 24, old by European standards. He is good but we aren’t talking C Ronaldo here. What proof do you have than anyone else is ever going to come calling?
More to the point he is one bad tackle away from never playing again. When the big money comes youhave to think hard about it.
And you don’t have to be in Scotland to get hurt, ask Holden, Zakuani, Brian Mullan, etc.
How many more hcanes
Rangers were a killer team when Claudio was there.
The current edition isn’t good enough to clean that team’s laundry.
It’s unclear to me that DMB’s game was ever suited to the Rangers squad he played for.
just read on Yahoo he was signed
I don’t disagree that DMB’s game was miscast there. He was always better suited for the Dutch game, and PSV was a good club to play for at the time.
Edu’s game fits Scotland quite well, to be honest. He’s a rugged, adaptable player.
espn is reporting it, too. I have no clue why Boca would want to leave a reasonably competitive league for the weekly hackfest that is the SPL.
One thing that probably isn’t so great playing for Rangers/Celtic specifically is they play in relatively unrealistic situations(at least as an American nat team player)-their teammates are overwhelmingly better than their opposition, putting them in positions that they wouldn’t have otherwise and playing bad teams that they should beat. Not a knock on the SPL, just a worry about playing for one of the two teams in a two horse league-also-Boca? WTF?
You dishonor Zakuani.
If Bedoya is 5’10″ then I’m headed for the NBA. I have stood next to a few of these guys (winter camp in Carson CA!). Bedoya, Donovan, Adu, none of them are over 5’7″.
Woah guess i called that one the wrong way.
I thought he passed with flying colors.
of course this is what scares me about this move, too
+1