Sal(vatore) Zizzo will join Heath Pearce as the second Yank to head to the Bundesliga this transfer window. Pearce recently joined newly promoted Hansa Rostock. The 20-year old Zizzo, who thanks to Johann Smith's untimely injury, terrorized the sidelines along with Robbie Rogers during the US U-20's quarterfinal run in Canada.
The move has been confirmed by Hannover 96's website (with the little German I can comprehend) and both MLSU and Soccer by Ives' have confirmed as well. This is a great move and quite a loss for the MLS (although due to Zizzo's apparent Italian/EU Passport, his intentions all along screamed Europe). The UCLA product will join a team that started the 2006/07 season terribly but rebounded and excelled with a young line-up to finish 11th, led by Steve Cherundolo's grit and influence. The team certainly plans to improve and have picked up some especially potent strikers in Mike Hanke from VfL Wolfsburg and Benjamin Lauth from fellow Yank Abroad Benny Feilhaber's squad Hamburg (HSV). It will be interesting to see whether or not Zizzo can make a first-team impression, but it would hardpressed - considering Hannover's lack of speed and aggression on the wing - that he wouldn't get a look right away.
The contract is three years and I think this is just the beginning for American youth heading abroad. We've got one whole month left in this summer's transfer window and I'd be surprised if we don't have closure on some other rumors.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment