American soccer has been waiting a long time for this — a young attacking player with breathtaking ability joining an elite European club for an absurd amount of cash and subsequently earning a global headline as a new year dawned.
For some 25 years, U.S. players have been carving a modest presence overseas. Many have been goalkeepers and defensive types. Some have arrived with scoring portfolios forged in MLS. Several were dual nationals, born and trained abroad.
Intra-European transfers involving king’s ransoms and glamorous suitors were reserved for the likes of David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar; for Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona; for Brazilians and Argentines and Spaniards.