It is a question posed to seemingly every high-profile European player to ever come to the New York Red Bulls. "Do you look forward to living in New York?" Generally, players will rave about the chance to live near New York and see the sights and enjoy the city.
Not Albert Celades.
The Spanish midfielder heard the question on Wednesday and didn't skip a beat when he gave a reply that should be sweet music to the ears of Red Bulls fans.
"I came here to play soccer and to play with this team," Celades said. "I didn't come here to live in New York. It is an attractive city, but that's not why I came here."
The Red Bulls will be banking on Celades providing the type of skilled central midfield presence the club sorely lacked in 2008.
"He has that ability to see different options and select the best one," Osorio said. "He has that eye-of the needle pass.
"He has done it at the highest level so that can only lead me to believe that he will be more than capable of doing that in MLS."
Osorio first learned of Celades' availability and interest in MLS from former MetroStars head coach and MLS director of player programs Alfonso Mondelo. Osorio didn't exactly need to be told of Celades resume, having watched him during his peak years in Europe with Barcelona and Real Madrid.
With the Red Bulls already likely to employ a 4-2-3-1 more often than most other formations, Celades gives the Red Bulls the ideal player for that formation. He can play in an advanced role where his passing can be maximized, but he can also be played in a deeper role.
"He's in the same mold as Iniesta and Xavi," said Osorio, referring to the FC Barcelona and Spanish national team tandem. "He keeps the ball, goes side-to-side, forward and backwards and his distribution is second to do none.
"He will not be a defensive midfielder, but a box-to-box player."
Celades, 33, made the decision to play in the United States as a new challenge after spending a majority of his career with some of the biggest clubs in the world.
"I have played in Europe my whole career and I wanted to experience something new," Celades said. "For me it's an experience. I want to get to know another league, another country, another style of play, another way of life and to have a new experience."
Celades admitted to not being too familiar with MLS, but he did speak to former Real Madrid teammate Aitor Karanka, who spent the 2006 season playing with the Colorado Rapids.
"We aren't too familiar with it in Spain because it isn't shown there, but the reputation is growing," Celades said. "You see Beckham here, who I played with at Real Madrid, and perhaps I can play here and let more Spanish players can know of the league and come to play here."
Celades acknowledged that MLS would be his last professional stop before retiring, but is very clear that he is here to play hard and play well. If Celades plays up to his resume, the Red Bulls could wind up with the best signing of the season in MLS, especially considering the fact that the club didn't have to use a Designated Player slot to make it happen.
"It's a good thing that he has already made his money," Osorio said. "because otherwise it would have been hard to bring him here."
