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BREAKING NEWS: Jozy Altidore Set For Move To Turkish Club Besiktas

A move to Turkey for the young American.

By Allen Ramsey

Aug 4, 2010 8:14:00 AM

Jozy Altidore, USA, United States vs Turkey (Getty)
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Jozy Altidore, USA, United States vs Turkey (Getty)

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A source familiar with American striker Jozy Altidore has told Goal.com USA that the Villarreal player will be on his way to Turkey in the near future to play with 13-time champions Besiktas.

Altidore has been rumored to be on the move again after Hull City, the English club where he spent last season on loan, was relegated to the second tier of English football and the striker was sent back to his Spanish club.

The 20-year-old does not seem to fit into the plans for the Spanish side moving forward and has been linked with move to Ajax already this summer.

Now it seems the USA star will head to Turkey on what the source says will be a long term deal (between four and six years) that should allow Altidore to find a regular home with one team for the first time since moving to Europe in the summer of 2008.

Altidore started all four of the USA's games at the 2010 World Cup and has impressed with the US National team at times, but his European club career has been marred by a lack of goals.

If the move does become official Altidore will be given a chance to play in the Europa league and will be teamed with one of the great passers of recent times in newly signed midfielder Jose Maria Guti, who signed with the club from Real Madrid earlier this summer.
TRANSFER NEWS

Tigers swoop for Olofinjana and Altidore

August 6, 2009

Hull City have completed the double signings of Seyi Olofinjana from Stoke and USA striker Jozy Altidore.

Midfielder Olofinjana has  joined on a four-year contract for a £3m fee with Altidore arriving on a season-long loan from Villarreal, subject to a work permit.

The pair are Hull's first signings of the summer after failing in pursuit of a number of other targets.

Manager Phil Brown said: "I'm over the moon at the fact we have at long last managed to get one or two players into the camp. It has been a long hard slog and it has been a frustrating time for a number of clubs.

"But we are pleased to announce Seyi Olofinjana and Jozy Altidore - part and parcel of a long process that has been ongoing for a number of weeks. We are delighted to have them on board and both players boast international pedigree.

"One area we needed to address was goals from midfield and I'm hoping Seyi can help out there. Jozy is unproven at this level but has great potential and we hope can fill the void of goals from the front line.''

Olofinjana, 29, joined Stoke from Wolves a year ago but fell down the pecking order after starting the club's first 13 games in the Premier League.

He had considered a move to Monaco but opted to remain in England. Altidore, 19, is highly regarded in the US and shone in the recent Confederations Cup.

His deal includes an option to buy next summer and a hearing over his application for a work permit is due to be heard on Monday.

Altidore expects to be loaned by Villarreal

Updated: June 6, 2008, 1:18 PM ET

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Red Bulls striker Jozy Altidore would not be surprised if Villarreal decides to loan him to another club in the Spanish League once his roughly $10 million transfer is complete.

 
 
  There has been a report that Villarreal, which finished second in the Spanish League, might send the 18-year-old American to Recreativo Heulva on loan to indoctrinate him into European soccer.

"That is something that a lot of clubs do when you go to a new league," Altidore said Thursday, a day after Major League Soccer agreed in principle to his record transfer. "It's not easy to adjust, especially for me. I would see a little bit of a faster-paced game. It's a bit different over there. That would not be a bad idea."

Altidore, who has a team-high three goals in eight games with the Red Bulls this season, said Villarreal has not discussed loaning him out.

"It would be tough for me to get in there right away and contribute the way I want to," Altidore said.

The transfer might prevent Altidore from representing the United States in the Olympics in Beijing in August. The Spanish League starts at the end of the summer, and it is likely that his new club would want him to train with it to get accustomed to his teammates.

Altidore has not spoken to Villarreal about playing in the Olympics.

While the transfer is not coming at an opportune time for the Red Bulls, it is not unexpected. There had been talk last year about a possible transfer to Real Madrid.

Talks between Villarreal, Altidore and MLS started in January, cooled off and then heated up again recently.

Altidore, who injured an ankle in practice on Monday, still has to pass a physical and reach a contract agreement with Villarreal. He is currently earning $128,333 with the Red Bulls. His new salary should jump significantly.

Players also usually earn 10 percent of the transfer fee, so he should pick up $1 million.

The transfer fee is a record for U.S. player. It is nearly double the amount that Sunderland of England paid for Claudio Reyna ($5.7 million) in 2001.

While he has always wanted to play overseas, Altidore did not go into this season thinking this would be the year it happened.

"I just wanted to be healthy and have a good year like every other year," Altidore said. "Fortunately for me, this opportunity came up."

Altidore said the Spanish League was second only to the English Premier League in quality of play.

"I want to be in a place where I can be challenged on a daily basis," Altidore said.

With a rare combination of speed, size and strength, Altidore might be the best young American striker. He had nine goals last year, his first full season in MLS, finishing eighth in the league in scoring.

The Red Bulls will receive roughly $5 million from the transfer fee, but they can't use it to sign a designated player because they already have two -- Juan Pablo Angel and Reyna.

"I don't think you can immediately replace somebody like Jozy," sporting director Jeff Agoos said. "We have other positions we are trying to strengthen. We will try to use some of those resources in those positions."

Finding a forward to replace Altidore will come down the road, Agoos said.

Altidore has made three appearances for the U.S. national team and scored his first goal against Mexico in February.

Altidore was disappointed leaving the Red Bulls, a team he grew up watching. He said every game he played with the team was special.