The fact remains that many foreign acquisitions struggle to adapt to Major League Soccer, both on and off the field. While the league is not the strongest in a tactical or technical sense, it has a unique style that meshes back-and-forth frenetic attacking with aggressive, unforgiving defending - not to mention the unique logistics and travel challenges. These routine adjustment struggles can be intensified during a loan, when players are expected to compete for a new club during a limited time frame with unfamiliar management.
The New York Red Bulls are known to tap this particular market, frequently dabbling in loan-to-buy deals and borrowing players from sister clubs in Europe.