par louvressac » 17 avril 2007 14:05
Angel moves to New York Red Bulls
Aston Villa striker Juan Pablo Angel has completed his transfer to Major League Soccer side New York Red Bulls.
The Colombian had one year left on his contract but manager Martin O'Neill had already made it clear he would not prevent the 31-year-old from leaving.
MLS policy means the terms of the deal remain undisclosed but Angel is thought to be on the £40,000-per-week wages of the final year of his Villa contract
The MLS Side are also believed to have offered him a further 12 months.
Angel has struggled to break into the first-team at Villa under O'Neill and joins former Manchester City midfielder Claudio Reyna at the New York Red Bulls.
"It has been frustrating not being in the team but there have been a lot of changes at the club and there has been a new owner (American Randy Lerner)," Angel told the MLS website.
"I got a good start to the season and scored a couple of goals. But the club is in the process of changing a lot of things and I got the chance to speak to the manager as I wasn't playing on a regular basis.
"I am a player who needs to play football.
"I started to ask questions of the manager about whether there was a chance to have a look at this opportunity. He basically gave me the green light."
With Villa buying Ashley Young from Watford in January, plus the emergence of Gabriel Agbonlahor as well as Carew and Moore, Angel had slipped down the pecking order at the Midlands club.
"Maybe now Angel feels the upper echelons of the Premiership might be eluding him but there could be a great chance to start a new life in America," said O'Neill.
"Juan has been really excellent since I came here to the football club, in terms of being a real professional, and I genuinely have nothing but praise for him.
"In the latter stages, perhaps he hasn't played the number of games he would hope to but I thought earlier in the season he was excellent for us, led the line and did great.
"He lost his place in the side just after Christmas but ever since then his attitude has been great."
Angel joined Villa from Argentine side River Plate for £9.5m in January 2001.
His best season was in 2003-2004 when he scored 23 goals, with Villa only missing out on a Uefa Cup place on goal difference to Newcastle.
New York coach Bruce Arena was also pleased with the deal, insisting he had landed his main transfer target.
He said: "I am thrilled about acquiring Juan Pablo for the New York Red Bulls.
"It is no secret that we have been searching for a striker since the end of the 2006 season and Juan Pablo has been at the top of my list since day one.
"To bring him here is a great situation for both Juan Pablo personally and the Red Bulls. I believe, in time, he will prove to be an excellent addition to our team."
Angel moves to New York Red Bulls
Aston Villa striker Juan Pablo Angel has completed his transfer to Major League Soccer side New York Red Bulls.
The Colombian had one year left on his contract but manager Martin O'Neill had already made it clear he would not prevent the 31-year-old from leaving.
MLS policy means the terms of the deal remain undisclosed but Angel is thought to be on the £40,000-per-week wages of the final year of his Villa contract
The MLS Side are also believed to have offered him a further 12 months.
Angel has struggled to break into the first-team at Villa under O'Neill and joins former Manchester City midfielder Claudio Reyna at the New York Red Bulls.
"It has been frustrating not being in the team but there have been a lot of changes at the club and there has been a new owner (American Randy Lerner)," Angel told the MLS website.
"I got a good start to the season and scored a couple of goals. But the club is in the process of changing a lot of things and I got the chance to speak to the manager as I wasn't playing on a regular basis.
"I am a player who needs to play football.
"I started to ask questions of the manager about whether there was a chance to have a look at this opportunity. He basically gave me the green light."
With Villa buying Ashley Young from Watford in January, plus the emergence of Gabriel Agbonlahor as well as Carew and Moore, Angel had slipped down the pecking order at the Midlands club.
"Maybe now Angel feels the upper echelons of the Premiership might be eluding him but there could be a great chance to start a new life in America," said O'Neill.
"Juan has been really excellent since I came here to the football club, in terms of being a real professional, and I genuinely have nothing but praise for him.
"In the latter stages, perhaps he hasn't played the number of games he would hope to but I thought earlier in the season he was excellent for us, led the line and did great.
"He lost his place in the side just after Christmas but ever since then his attitude has been great."
Angel joined Villa from Argentine side River Plate for £9.5m in January 2001.
His best season was in 2003-2004 when he scored 23 goals, with Villa only missing out on a Uefa Cup place on goal difference to Newcastle.
New York coach Bruce Arena was also pleased with the deal, insisting he had landed his main transfer target.
He said: "I am thrilled about acquiring Juan Pablo for the New York Red Bulls.
"It is no secret that we have been searching for a striker since the end of the 2006 season and Juan Pablo has been at the top of my list since day one.
"To bring him here is a great situation for both Juan Pablo personally and the Red Bulls. I believe, in time, he will prove to be an excellent addition to our team."
