After weeks of speculation, negotiation, and work visa appeals, the New York Red Bulls have agreed to terms to send defender Tim Ream to Premier League side Bolton Wanderers F.C.
In a statement released by the team, Sporting Director and GM Erik Soler discussed the deal: "We are extremely happy for Tim. He has worked very hard since he joined Major League Soccer and became a Red Bull and we firmly believe that this opportunity will be beneficial to him and the Red Bulls." Tim Ream added, "This was a hard decision for me considering the fact that I enjoyed playing for the Red Bulls and was looking forward to the upcoming MLS season. However, after consulting with those closest to me, I decided that this was a once in a lifetime chance that I could not pass up." Wanderers boss Owen Coyle told the team's news site, "Tim is everything that we want in the players we are bringing to the club when we spend in the transfer market. He is young, has a tremendous attitude and a winning mentality."
While terms of the three and a half year deal were not discussed, rumors put the transfer fee in the neighborhood of $3M, which would be the largest in the history of Major League Soccer for a defender. Under league rules, the Red Bulls would receive approximately $2M of the transfer fee. Speaking to the NY Post's Brian Lewis, Soler indicated that the team may be interested in pouring some of that money into a European-style residence academy.
Ream joined the Red Bulls in 2010 as their second round draft pick, playing every minute of every game that season and was named a finalist for the league's Rookie Of The Year. His 2011 season ran both hot (like his unforgettable goal-line clearance against LA) and cold (his gifting of a goal to the Philadelphia Union). Ream joins a legendary list of former NY players who have gone on to Europe, including current USMNT keeper Tim Howard, striker Joze Altidore, and midfielder Michael Bradley.
