US striker Eddie Johnson was almost a Benfica player

[meJonny]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/grant_wahl/03/11/johnson.notransfer/index.html

MLS turned down 4 million! :shocker: He is a good player for Benfica. A young Kluivert or a shevchenko

Benfica offered US striker Kenny Cooper a contract , but he decided to go to ManU. Thornton was a Benfica player. Is Benfica looking at MLS players

[Selecao2002]

Well, maybe Benfica is looking at American players (Cooper never played in MLS), but with Eddie Johnson, the club is beginning to look at the right American players. This kid is a stud, and it would have been a minor coup to pick him up at $4M. I think MLS is expected to hold onto him through WC06, where he should continue to make himself known throughout Europe.

[Timmy]

I like that they are expanding the scouting, and going for players with uPPPside. If Johnson was to come to Portugal and fail, he can still be flipped for something due to his age and success in MLS and the U.S. NT.

Signings vets, such as ZZ, is more costly and more diffucult to remove from the roster. Nobody wants to take a chance on a sour apple.

I don't quite get the idea of keeping him in MLS for another 18 months. Either say you don't want to sell him, or you weren't offered enough money. Time to me seems rather irrelevant since he does not sell tickets in MLS, and there is not a CL equivelent for MLS teams to shoot for.

Off-Topic: Is South America too wacky and disorganized for MLS to consider trying to get involved with Copa Libertadores?

[england66]

I like that they are expanding the scouting, and going for players with uPPPside. If Johnson was to come to Portugal and fail, he can still be flipped for something due to his age and success in MLS and the U.S. NT.

Signings vets, such as ZZ, is more costly and more diffucult to remove from the roster. Nobody wants to take a chance on a sour apple.

I don't quite get the idea of keeping him in MLS for another 18 months. Either say you don't want to sell him, or you weren't offered enough money. Time to me seems rather irrelevant since he does not sell tickets in MLS, and there is not a CL equivelent for MLS teams to shoot for.

Off-Topic: Is South America too wacky and disorganized for MLS to consider trying to get involved with Copa Libertadores?

Was Benfica really going to pay 1.5 mil more than PSV did for Beasley (a proven commodity). The numbers just don't add up but I would definitely take a chance with this kid.

[Razor]

Was Benfica really going to pay 1.5 mil more than PSV did for Beasley (a proven commodity). The numbers just don't add up but I would definitely take a chance with this kid.

He looked good this week.

[Flo]

Eddie Johnson is a monster and him up front would've been unbelievable. Can't believe the MLS turned down $4M for him.

[Timmy]

They are rolling the dice a little and believe that he is a player who will get a major transfer fee. At least, that's the only reasonable reason I can see for turning the deal down. Beasley is no less a talent than Johnson, and he was sold for a fraction.

[Selecao2002]

He would have been a great signing for the Benfica. I guess MLS is figuring that a) his best days are ahead of him (2004 was his breakout year for club and country) and b) the league did not want to lose another young, marketable star after Donovan, Beasley, Convey and Gibbs left for Europe.

[Penguin]

With Johnson recently cracking the NT lineup with a veangence, I would suspect that MLS wants to hold onto him through WC2006.

If this is true, kudos to Benfica on trying to get him. He's a grade A stud.

[meJonny]

I think eddie is more talented than beasley. Eddie might have an agreement worked w/ with benfica and could move over there during the summer(a rumor) Eddie probably stayed here cuz its no lock that he'd start and it would take him away from Arenas eyes and the worldcup. ManU , PSV and Juve were/are interested in Eddie.

Eskandarian had an offer from Sporting , but he stayed.