David Bentley may or may not be headed to Vancouver, but Barry Robson apparently is.
The Vancouver Whitecaps' massive offseason makeover will reportedly continue as the team is set to announce the signing of Scotland international Barry Robson on Thursday. The 33-year-old midfielder will apparently finish out his season with nPower Championship side Middlesbrough and join the Whitecaps after that.
Confirmed #WhitecapsFC will announce Middlesbrough midfielder Barry Robson will join the team after his season is over in England, tomorrow.
— Irfaan Gaffar (@IrfaanGaffar) February 16, 2012
Middlesbrough is currently eighth in the table, but just one point shy of a spot in the promotion playoffs. That could push their season into early May. The Whitecaps play 12 MLS matches prior to the pair of international breaks that will effectively keep most MLS teams off the field between June 1-12.
Maybe having some extra time to figure out how the Whitecaps can use Robson will be a good thing. Robson is definitely more of an attacking player, something the Whitecaps already have in spades. The good news is that he appears to be pretty versatile, logging minutes across the midfield and even at forward this season. Four of his six Championship goals have come from the right side, with his other two coming while he was a CM.
For more on Robson's signing, be sure to check out Whitecaps blog 86 Forever.
The rumors of David Bentley looking for a loan to a MLS team continue to pick up steam as the Vancouver Whitecaps have emerged as a possible suitor. Despite the Whitecaps downplaying the rumor, the team's radio announcer gave a strong indication that there could be something to it.
David Bentley's agent confirms mutual interest with VAN. Paul Barber's put a good word in. Other #MLS teams are keen. He'll decide soon.
— Peter Schaad (@PeteSchaad) February 15, 2012
Bentley may only be one of British player the Whitecaps have an eye on. Scotland international Barry Robson has also been linked to the Whitecaps recently with the Daily Mail saying that he will join the MLS side in the summer. Robson is currently with English Championship side Middlesborough, where he's scored six goals in 23 matches so far this season. Middlesborough is currently eighth in the table, one point outside of a spot in the promotion playoff.
Once called "the next David Beckham" and now struggling just to find a team anywhere in the Premier League that will take him on, David Bentley is apparently looking at a possible loan to MLS in hopes of reviving his career. According to MLSSoccer.com, Bentley's representatives are in discussions with a MLS team about a loan in the spring and summer that could give him a chance to get his career back on track.
"This is something that is really interesting for David, as it will also get him fit through the summer," Bentley's agent, Rob Segal, told MLSsoccer.com. "He would like to go there on loan as soon as possible."
Bentley was the next big thing in English soccer when he debuted for England in 2007 and the hype only grew when he became the most expensive transfer in Tottenham Hotspur history in 2008, but the midfielder has struggled to find a place with Spurs. He ended up on the outs just months after signing with Tottenham and appeared just twice for the club in the fall of 2010 before being loaned to Birmingham City for the rest of the season. He played there, but Birmingham were relegated and when he sought another loan in the summer, only Championship club West Ham showed genuine interest. An injury cut short his time with the Hammers and now he is desperate just to get a chance somewhere.
If Bentley is fit and motivated, he could be a big boost for any MLS club. He is still just 27 years old and can hit a dead ball or cross as well as anyone in the world. He's never been blessed with pace, but he has enough to get by and some tricks to help him out. Tottenham still own his contract and they have a partnership with the Earthquakes, which help set up Simon Dawkins' loan to San Jose, so Bentley to the Quakes makes sense, but that would be no more than speculation.
Bentley's biggest problem has always been that nobody has ever loved David Bentley as much as David Bentley though. It has resulted in lackluster effort and questions about his commitment, but with his career on the line, maybe he will show the kind of work ethic that can make him a star on loan and earn himself a place back in the English Premier League.
Barry Robson, Whitecaps Officially Agree On Designated Player Contract
Say whatever you will about the Vancouver Whitecaps this offseason, but they've definitely kept it interesting. Their latest move came on Thursday when they signed Scottish midfielder Barry Robson to a Designated Player contract. Robson will finish out his season with nPower Championship side Middlesbrough and join the Whitecaps in July after the summer transfer window opens.
"Barry has been a proven playmaker at the highest levels of the game for both club and country," Whitecaps head coach Martin Rennie said in a team release. "He is a versatile box-to-box midfielder that can play in several positions, with the ability to create and score goals. Barry will be a great addition to our squad."
The 33-year-old will most likely play as a central midfielder for the Whitecaps, although he has spent time all over the midfield and has even played a little forward. He's shown an impressive scoring touch from just about every position he's played, bagging 18 goals and 16 assists since joining Middlsebrough in 2010. He's also made 16 appearances for Scotland since debuting in 2007.
"I am very excited to be joining Whitecaps FC and to continue my career in Major League Soccer," said Robson. "I am impressed by the quality of MLS and Vancouver as a club. They have a passionate fan base and a fantastic stadium in BC Place. My family and I are also looking forward to our move to Canada and the beautiful city of Vancouver this summer."
When he's available, Robson could be in the middle of a very dangerous attack that includes the likes of Eric Hassli, Sebastien Le Toux, Camilo Sanvezzo and Davide Chiumiento. The big question will be how much Robson has left in the tank after a long season in England. Since his season started in August, he's played 28 matches for club and country. Middlesbrough has at least 16 matches left to play and that doesn't include any potential promotion playoffs. He will likely be coming of a lengthy break of more than a month. He could also end up leaving the Whitecaps in September as Scotland starts World Cup qualifying with four matches from Sept. 8-Oct. 16.
For more on the signing, be sure to check out Whitecaps blog 86 Forever.
Feb 16 11:30a by Jeremiah Oshan - 1 comment