The growing list of American midfielders plying their trade in the English Premier League has added another name.
U.S. national team midfielder Michael Bradley is joining Aston Villa on loan for the remainder of the season, sources told Fox Soccer on Saturday.
Bradley leaves German side Borussia Moenchengladbach, where he spent two seasons as a starter, and was a key figure in helping the club stay in the German Bundesliga. With Moenchengladbach facing likely relegation, and Bradley heading toward the final year of his contract, the sides orchestrated a move for the 23-year old.
Bradley joins fellow Americans Brad Friedel, Brad Guzan and Eric Lichaj on an Aston Villa side owned by American Randy Lerner. Aston Villa is currently in 13th place in the Premier League, six points clear of the relegation zone.
Bradley will face a stiff battle for playing time in an Aston Villa central midfield that includes recently-added Cameroonian midfielder Jean Makoun as well as Nigel Reo Coker and captain Stiliyan Petrov.
Bradley becomes the latest American to move to England, following the path of U.S. teammate Jermaine Jones, who recently left German club Schalke for a loan move to Blackburn. The U.S. national team midfield now boasts Bradley, Jones, Stuart Holden and Clint Dempsey as Premier League players.
The move to Aston Villa is a bit ironic considering five months ago it was Bradley’s father, U.S. national team head coach Bob Bradley, who had been linked to the Aston Villa manager position.
Ives Galarcep is a senior writer for FoxSoccer.com covering the U.S. national team and Major League Soccer.
